Friday, 1 May 2026

Team Power owns first-ever Spikers’ Turf All-Star victory

May 01, 2026 Inquirer Sports, News No comments

CANDON—Sydney Calderon, from Spikers’ Turf Open Conference runner-up Savouge, was thrilled to win the Volleyball All-Star Showcase with Team Power that was bannered by the core of the very team that frustrated her side just this past month in a gripping three-game finale. “After our loss to Criss Cross, we told each other: ‘let’s win

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2026 Fantasy WNBA Rankings & Sleepers

May 01, 2026 FantasyPros, News No comments

★ Fantasy Analysis

2026 WNBA Fantasy Top Rankings

Season projections powered by FantasyPros WNBA Betting Model v10 – ESPN scoring format

Updated for 2026 Season
ESPN Standard Scoring
73 Players Ranked

⚙ ESPN Scoring System

1 pt per PTS
1.5 pts per 3PM
1.2 pts per REB
1.2 pts per AST
2 pts per STL
2 pts per BLK

⭐ Elite – ≥35.0 FPTS/G
● Starter – 28.0–34.9
● Solid – 21.0–27.9
● Bench – 14.0–20.9
● Streamer – <14.0

Top Season Rankings

#	Player	Team	FPTS/G	Szn FPTS	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	Tier
⭐ Elite Tier
1	A’ja Wilson	LVA	47.45	1,898	23.7	10.2	2.5	1.57	2.31	Elite
2	Caitlin Clark	IND	40.18	1,567	16.6	5.0	8.3	1.45	0.56	Elite
3	Alyssa Thomas	PHO	37.54	1,539	13.4	8.6	8.2	1.56	0.43	Elite
4	Breanna Stewart	NYL	38.80	1,513	19.0	7.3	3.4	1.41	1.32	Elite
5	Nneka Ogwumike	LAS	35.13	1,511	17.8	7.5	2.3	1.45	0.51	Elite
6	Kelsey Plum	LAS	35.06	1,473	19.3	2.9	5.1	1.07	0.06	Elite
7	Angel Reese	ATL	36.93	1,440	14.1	12.6	3.0	1.39	0.59	Elite
8	Sabrina Ionescu	NYL	37.30	1,417	17.8	4.8	5.7	1.13	0.37	Elite
9	Paige Bueckers	DAL	36.17	1,411	19.2	3.9	5.4	1.58	0.50	Elite
10	Napheesa Collier	MIN	42.40	1,314	21.3	8.0	3.0	1.67	1.38	Elite
11	Rhyne Howard	ATL	37.15	1,300	17.8	4.6	4.0	1.60	0.74	Elite
● Starter Tier
12	Dearica Hamby	LAS	33.90	1,458	16.3	8.0	3.1	1.47	0.37	Starter
13	Aaliyah Boston	IND	32.69	1,438	14.4	8.3	3.2	1.10	1.07	Starter
14	Allisha Gray	ATL	33.63	1,413	17.7	5.1	3.2	1.08	0.48	Starter
15	Jackie Young	LVA	32.69	1,406	16.1	4.2	4.8	1.18	0.29	Starter
16	Skylar Diggins	CHI	32.03	1,377	15.3	2.5	6.1	1.39	0.84	Starter
17	Kelsey Mitchell	IND	30.39	1,337	19.1	1.9	2.8	0.81	0.14	Starter
18	Courtney Williams	MIN	30.37	1,336	12.4	5.1	6.1	1.09	0.35	Starter
19	Chennedy Carter	LVA	28.41	1,250	17.5	3.5	3.1	1.09	0.18	Starter
20	Azura Stevens	CHI	30.39	1,246	12.1	7.7	2.0	1.16	1.04	Starter
21	Chelsea Gray	LVA	29.58	1,242	11.6	3.8	5.9	1.43	0.69	Starter
22	Arike Ogunbowale	DAL	32.57	1,238	17.3	3.0	4.2	1.53	0.21	Starter
23	Sonia Citron	WAS	28.56	1,228	14.9	4.0	2.4	1.25	0.39	Starter
24	Tina Charles	CON	29.17	1,225	15.5	7.0	1.9	0.81	0.46	Starter
25	Jonquel Jones	NYL	31.72	1,205	13.1	8.3	2.6	0.57	1.15	Starter
26	Satou Sabally	NYL	31.67	1,172	15.3	5.8	3.1	1.21	0.36	Starter
27	Kamilla Cardoso	CHI	28.20	1,100	12.2	8.3	2.2	0.42	1.28	Starter
28	Marina Mabrey	TOR	30.36	1,093	14.8	4.2	4.0	0.84	0.37	Starter
29	Brittney Sykes	TOR	29.66	1,068	15.0	4.1	3.9	1.38	0.40	Starter
● Solid Tier
30	Shakira Austin	WAS	27.03	1,189	12.4	7.0	1.4	1.14	1.06	Solid
31	Olivia Miles	MIN	29.59	1,184	14.8	4.3	4.4	1.00	0.20	Solid
32	Kiki Iriafen	WAS	26.92	1,158	13.3	8.5	1.6	0.59	0.16	Solid
33	Alanna Smith	DAL	27.40	1,151	9.7	5.5	2.8	1.32	1.65	Solid
34	Jewell Loyd	LVA	27.30	1,147	14.5	3.5	2.4	1.11	0.25	Solid
35	Azzi Fudd	DAL	27.86	1,142	15.0	2.3	2.5	1.60	0.30	Solid
36	Gabby Williams	GSV	27.13	1,140	11.0	4.2	4.1	2.00	0.41	Solid
37	Kayla McBride	MIN	27.67	1,079	14.4	2.5	3.2	1.25	0.09	Solid
38	Veronica Burton	GSV	25.19	1,058	9.1	3.9	5.2	1.19	0.57	Solid
39	Ariel Atkins	CHI	27.74	1,054	13.5	3.3	3.2	1.47	0.55	Solid
40	Natasha Howard	MIN	25.55	1,048	12.2	6.1	1.8	1.07	0.64	Solid
41	Kahleah Copper	CHI	27.10	1,030	16.3	3.3	1.7	0.89	0.16	Solid
42	Kayla Thornton	GSV	25.10	1,029	11.0	5.9	1.3	1.23	0.30	Solid
43	Rickea Jackson	LAS	25.13	1,005	14.6	3.6	1.6	0.65	0.37	Solid
44	Brionna Jones	ATL	27.32	983	13.1	6.6	1.9	1.19	0.67	Solid
45	Saniya Rivers	CON	21.66	910	8.8	2.8	2.7	1.48	0.90	Solid
46	Janelle Salaun	GSV	22.94	872	11.3	5.1	1.2	0.61	0.08	Solid
47	Myisha Hines-Allen	LVA	21.39	834	8.0	5.8	2.9	0.80	0.30	Solid
48	Ezi Magbegor	SEA	25.94	830	9.4	6.6	2.0	0.82	1.99	Solid
49	Courtney Vandersloot	CHI	24.81	819	9.5	3.2	5.8	1.31	0.42	Solid
50	Brittney Griner	CON	21.99	814	11.4	5.0	1.3	0.26	1.18	Solid
51	DeWanna Bonner	PHO	22.12	796	11.0	4.3	1.4	0.85	0.39	Solid
52	Jordin Canada	ATL	26.00	754	10.7	3.1	5.4	1.68	0.27	Solid
53	Tiffany Hayes	GSV	23.40	725	11.8	3.6	2.8	0.72	0.19	Solid
54	Emma Meesseman	NYL	28.58	686	13.4	5.1	3.2	1.24	0.77	Starter
● Bench / Late Round Targets
55	Erica Wheeler	LAS	20.96	922	9.1	2.7	3.6	1.08	0.17	Bench
56	Naz Hillmon	ATL	20.20	889	7.9	6.1	1.9	0.56	0.34	Bench
57	Sami Whitcomb	PHO	20.50	882	8.8	2.7	2.6	0.91	0.26	Bench
58	Elizabeth Williams	CHI	19.48	838	8.0	4.9	1.8	0.77	0.95	Bench
59	Leonie Fiebich	NYL	20.78	831	8.8	3.7	2.0	1.05	0.32	Bench
60	Bridget Carleton	POR	18.65	802	7.1	3.7	2.0	0.83	0.25	Bench
61	NaLyssa Smith	LVA	19.45	798	8.8	5.8	0.8	0.52	0.62	Bench
62	Aneesah Morrow	CON	19.62	785	7.7	6.9	0.5	0.78	0.44	Bench
63	Jessica Shepard	DAL	19.90	756	7.5	6.8	2.6	0.47	0.09	Bench
64	Lexie Hull	IND	18.15	744	7.1	3.9	1.6	1.11	0.29	Bench
65	Gabriela Jaquez	CHI	18.60	725	8.6	4.3	1.7	0.70	0.10	Bench
66	Natisha Hiedeman	SEA	16.27	716	7.6	1.8	2.7	0.79	0.17	Bench
67	Dominique Malonga	SEA	16.61	698	7.7	4.6	0.9	0.41	0.67	Bench
68	Olivia Nelson-Ododa	CON	17.74	674	7.3	4.9	0.7	0.72	1.14	Bench
69	Temi Fagbenle	TOR	18.92	662	7.6	5.3	1.4	0.80	0.69	Bench
70	Natasha Mack	PHO	17.42	627	4.6	5.8	1.0	0.85	1.48	Bench
71	Sophie Cunningham	IND	18.76	619	8.5	3.3	1.5	0.87	0.18	Bench
72	Aziaha James	DAL	15.72	613	7.5	2.9	1.6	0.63	0.18	Bench
73	Maddy Siegrist	DAL	21.61	605	12.0	4.3	0.9	0.63	0.53	Solid

2026 Sleeper Targets

Five players flying under the radar who our model believes are being undervalued heading into draft season.

Sleeper Pick #1

Kiki Iriafen

Washington Mystics • C/F • Rank #32

13.3

PTS/G

8.5

REB/G

26.9

FPTS/G

A second-year big with elite rebounding instincts, Iriafen projects for 8.5 boards per game in a Washington frontcourt that should funnel her plenty of touches. At her current ADP she’s being treated as a bench piece – draft her as a starter. The 0.59 steal rate also punches above her positional expectations.

Sleeper Pick #2

Azzi Fudd

Dallas Wings • G • Rank #35

15.0

PTS/G

2.2

3PM/G

27.9

FPTS/G

Health has been Fudd’s only enemy. When she’s on the floor, the volume and efficiency are both there – a projected 2.2 threes per game at a Dallas guard spot that’s wide open is a fantasy goldmine. If she stays healthy for 40+ games, this ranking looks laughably cheap. The steal rate of 1.6 per game is a sneaky bonus.

Sleeper Pick #3

Saniya Rivers

Connecticut Sun • G • Rank #45

8.8

PTS/G

1.48

STL/G

21.7

FPTS/G

Don’t sleep on the steal machine. Rivers projects for a whopping 1.48 steals per game – among the best in the league – and with 42 remaining games on the schedule, that’s a mountain of defensive fantasy value. Her combined steal+block contribution at her draft price makes her one of the best value plays in deep leagues.

Sleeper Pick #4

Janelle Salaun

Golden State Valkyries • F • Rank #46

11.3

PTS/G

5.1

REB/G

22.9

FPTS/G

The young Valkyries forward is on track for a breakout season. Salaun’s 1.8 threes per game projection combined with strong rebounding on a team that needs her to carry offensive load means she has genuine upside beyond these projections. At 38 remaining games, her season FPTS ceiling is much higher if Golden State leans on her development.

Sleeper Pick #5

Alanna Smith

Dallas Wings • F/C • Rank #33

1.65

BLK/G

1.32

STL/G

27.4

FPTS/G

Here’s the deal: 1.65 blocks AND 1.32 steals per game. That dual-threat defensive production is incredibly rare, and the fantasy scoring system’s 2x multipliers on both categories make Smith a statistical anomaly at her draft price. She’s a pick-up who fills categories most other bigs can’t touch. Grab her in the middle rounds and smile.

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Ildemaro Vargas extends hit streak, passes Goldschmidt in Diamondbacks record book

May 01, 2026 Arizona Sports, News No comments

No “Drip” drama here.

Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ildemaro Vargas needed just one at-bat in Friday’s game against the Chicago Cubs to extend his hitting streak to 27 games dating back to last season.

He now stands alone in second place for the longest hitting streak in franchise history, passing Paul Goldschmidt (26).

He sits just three games away from tying Luis Gonzalez’s franchise-leading mark of 30.

Batting second in the order, Vargas turned on an 87-mph splitter for a single up the middle. It was Arizona’s second hit of the frame after Geraldo Perdomo’s leadoff single.

In addition to passing Goldschmidt in the franchise record books for most consecutive hits, Vargas set a new hitting record for a player born in Venezuela. He passed Wilson Ramos (2019 New York Mets) for the top spot.

Ildemaro Vargas logró su 27mo juego consecutivo conectando hit, récord para un jugador nacido en Venezuela.

¡GRANDE, ILDEMARO! pic.twitter.com/XuYFsURUTP

— MLB Español (@mlbespanol) May 1, 2026

The streak is also the second-longest since Detroit’s Ron LeFlore in 1976.

Vargas continues to be one of the biggest bright spots for the Diamondbacks.

Entering play Friday, Vargas paced the Diamondbacks in batting average (.378), OPS (1.087), home runs (six) and RBIs (20) despite playing in 23 of Arizona’s 30 games.

The early hitting didn’t lead to runs, however, with Chicago getting out of the top of the first inning unscathed before tacking on three runs in the bottom half.

Vargas, however, trimmed Chicago’s early lead to 3-1 with an RBI single in the third inning.

Catch the rest of Diamondbacks-Cubs on the Arizona Sports app, 98.7 and ArizonaSports.com.

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Will Mat Ishbia seek out his next big move this Suns offseason?

April 30, 2026 Arizona Sports, News No comments

PHOENIX — Expectations are a dangerous thing, and they have now automatically been set for the Phoenix Suns next season.

Whether they like it or not, there are now actual stakes attached to their future. No more house money. No more fun surprises. No more “no one expected them to be here!” thinking.

Barring any unforeseen events roster-wise, the Suns should be pushing for a top-six spot in the Western Conference next year. With a little more improvement, injury luck and consistency, they should have a chance to do so.

Now knowing this is the bar, though, how will they go about ensuring they reach it with how fierce their competition is?

While a team or two always unexpectedly drops out of the race with a year from hell, the Thunder, Spurs, Nuggets, Lakers, Rockets and Timberwolves are not going anywhere. The Blazers and Jazz will be in the darkhorse mix too, while we’ll see what the Mavericks’ offseason plan building around Cooper Flagg entails. There will be more pushes from the Clippers and Warriors as well.

That’s 11 teams. A dozen if you include the Suns. Will they feel the need to compensate?

Careful with that.

We’ve already seen what can happen in this large of a jump over just one season. As previously covered once the trade deadline passed in February, the 2013-14 Suns were expected to have a win total in the mid-20s before an incredible year saw it hit 48. With that, came a bigger move in the following offseason that didn’t work out (Isaiah Thomas) and the whole team’s dynamic shattered because of it, spiraling a sequence of events that would lead to Brandon Knight, hair salons and oh so much more.

Remember your first time backing out of a parking spot and what the person teaching you would say in a safe, cautious tone?

“Easy does it, here.”

When owner Mat Ishbia spoke last offseason, he ended by saying he will remain patient as long as things are working.

A year later while speaking at exit interviews, he correctly believes things are working, and his bullet points for the summer of “continuity” and “player development” did not come across as an owner that will swing big.

“Our massive massive lean is I like this team, I like where we’re going, I like the direction of the organization, I like the culture that we’ve built, I like the identity that we have and we’re not going to do anything silly to mess that up,” Ishbia said.

Suns owner Mat Ishbia wants to continue to lean into the foundation and culture set by the franchise this year.

"Do we take calls about opportunistic trades and ideas? Of course we do. However … we're not going to do anything silly to mess (the culture and identity) up." pic.twitter.com/xm29WP4c49

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) April 30, 2026

That sounds like an owner who has learned from his past trigger finger on a desire to do something big, and instead, will continue building through patience.

But!

He did also say Devin Booker will lead the Suns to a championship, and that is quite frankly not going to be possible without some sizable addition in talent. And unless Phoenix hits on a one-in-a-thousand draft pick in the next three years, the Suns will have to do so with a big-time trade.

And if Ishbia once more agrees and he thinks a splash has to be made to meet that goal, this guy loves a good cannonball.

The X-factor in all of this is that Booker would likely be grinning from his cabana. He has said he doesn’t want to take part in a rebuild, and he’s turning 30 years old the day before Halloween, all with 11 seasons under his belt already.

With Booker showing signs of regression the last three years, is now the time to go if the Suns see an opportunity they feel would bump them from plucky first-round matchup to legit contender?

You could say Phoenix is in a fairly dire spot from a war chest perspective on the trade market, so why does it matter. The Suns, however, still have the assets to make, not the biggest trade of the offseason, but one of the bigger moves if they are so inclined.

Tradable mid-level salaries like Dillon Brooks and Grayson Allen, with a larger salary like Jalen Green too depending on interest, are present as the base of an offer. From there, young pieces such as Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Oso Ighodaro can provide good value.

And then on draft night, the Suns will unlock two tradable first-round picks in 2027 and 2033. The 2027 pick is double-swapped, so it’s not great, but their own 2033 selection is currently untouched and holds real weight. They’ll have three second-rounders: No. 47 this year, plus their own in 2029 and 2033.

It’s not a lot. But if the green goblin mask starts cackling at Ishbia across a usual explosive NBA offseason, there will be phone calls he can make.

While Giannis Antetokounmpo headlines the summer, Phoenix wouldn’t even be able to field a competitive offer in the event he was willing to go to any destination, so no need to spend any brain power on that.

Other star-studded names will still be around, most notably flawed ones.

It sure seems like Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies are splitting. He’s got two years and $86 million left on his max rookie extension, an albatross considering he’s played 79 games in three years while showing immense regression when he was able to get on the court.

Zion Williamson is on the same contract, but with non-guarantees that are riddled with incentives. Both he and Morant don’t figure to yield much of a return for the New Orleans Pelicans or Memphis, and it would be more about just ending the experiment. Williamson quietly played in 62 games this year, although he was not nearly the dominant force he was in years prior.

Both guys, in theory, fill a need. Morant would be the lead playmaker Booker has been missing since Chris Paul was traded, while Williamson is the type of powerful downhill athlete Phoenix has been lacking in the wing/forward rotation for many years now.

There are also a few up-in-the-air offseasons for a few aging big names like Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving and Warriors forward Draymond Green to monitor.

Then, there is the possibility of a far more fan-friendly pursuit.

The Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks are coming off muddled regular seasons with sketchy beginnings to the postseason. Perhaps one or both make deep runs to nullify the chances of them making a large shift to their roster. But if things keep trending this way, their current dilemmas are progressing toward the idea of trading Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges.

Johnson has been OK for Denver. So, in other words, not good enough. He was seen as an upgrade over Michael Porter Jr., and instead, Porter ripped off a career year while Johnson battled through injuries and inconsistency. Johnson hasn’t been able to translate his terrific productivity toward the end of his Brooklyn tenure, not rising to the level of a serious tertiary scorer alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. For the Nuggets, his consistent impact goes more in line with how he performed in his last year with the Suns.

To be clear, Johnson has improved loads since then. The fit, though, hasn’t clicked in the way almost everyone expected. Basketball is just like that sometimes. The Nuggets are expected to extend restricted free agent Peyton Watson after his breakout season, which was not in the cards at all when Johnson was acquired. Johnson is on a $23 million expiring, so that potential extension now looks unlikely for a cheapskate ownership group that could look to get value for him.

Bridges has also regressed considerably back to his earlier days in Phoenix when his offensive impact would randomly wane game by game. It’s genuinely shocking considering how much better he got in Brooklyn as a three-level scorer, and even in his last two years with the Suns. He’s back to fading out of games offensively, and even more surprising, has been a hit-or-miss defender.

Maybe it’s just the pressure of living up to the five first-round picks he was traded for plus the weight of the spotlight New York can put on a guy. Whatever it is, Bridges has become the primary target for blame through a sluggish Knicks season, and next season kicks off his four-year, $150 million extension that currently is a big overpay unless he can snap out of whatever the hell is going on.

Both play for franchises looking to win a title next season, so the Suns’ offers would have to help with that more than anything. But by taking in either player, they’d be helping too. It goes without saying either guy is exactly the type of wing the Suns lack, and you’d assume getting back to a comfortable city and partnership with Booker would get their careers back on track. Of course, there’s still risk to trading for either twin with how the last year has gone for each.

It’s not exclusive to that pair or those two teams. Other playoff teams like Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Minnesota, Orlando and Toronto could look for a shakeup the Suns swoop in on.

There are other lower-tiered targets that would still be of the same thought process, meaning it’s probably best to avoid the splashier moves.

Jerami Grant has two years and $80 million to go on his contract after a solid year for Portland. Jonathan Kuminga, a long-rumored point of fascination for Phoenix’s front office, has a $24.3 million team option for next season in Atlanta. Like those earlier names, either guy presumably requires a real asset from the Suns beyond the player return, whether it’s one of the few younger players Phoenix has left or one of its two tradable first-round picks on draft night.

Realistically, smaller moves should be of mind. The only major, roster-shifting trade to seek out would be moving one of Brooks or Green, but that would be less about the return and more about rebalancing the dynamic of the offense to maximize Booker. It would be shocking if that was of interest to the front office, one that will still be enamored by Green’s potential after a lost year due to injury and one allured by the intangibles Brooks provided throughout the year.

Suns GM Brian Gregory said the front office “100%” believes the trio will figure it out with more time together, and credited the self-awareness of all three to be critical of their own games to improve where they have to.

So how about something in a more condensed vein?

Is there a team out there willing to part with a pick in the back half of the first round in exchange for some shooting? Allen or Royce O’Neale could help several contenders next season. The Suns’ size issues in part have to do with finding both guys the playing time they deserve, and that’ll be a huge problem again if all three of Booker, Brooks and Green are back.

Cleaning up the rotation by subtracting one guy while adding another young player with a proper physical profile as a bigger wing or forward would be tidy work. Possibilities in that portion of the draft include Houston’s Chris Cenac Jr., Texas’ Dailyn Swain, Alabama’s Amari Allen, Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. and Arizona’s Koa Peat. This would be more in line with “rebuilding” but is the type of shift the roster has to consider.

That’s just one example of exactly how the Suns need to upgrade their roster. It’s understandable how delicate they say they will be about it, but they still have to be bold at the same time to try to tinker and change something that was indeed successful.

Just not, you know, too bold.

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Why did Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff exit in 2nd inning vs. Diamondbacks?

April 30, 2026 Arizona Sports, News No comments

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff came off the field with the athletic trainer in the second inning on Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Woodruff only threw 21 pitches, but his velocity was significantly lower than usual. The veteran right-hander averaged 85.4 mph with his fastball, 7.1 mph slower than usual. His cutter and changeup were also at least 4 mph slower than average.

The Brewers had to turn to their bullpen for the final 23 outs in the rubber match with Arizona, calling on Grant Anderson first, who allowed back-to-back home runs on Wednesday to Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll.

Woodruff has dealt with a series of arm injuries over the past three years, although he entered Thursday with a 3.77 ERA in five starts.

The Diamondbacks went scoreless in the opening two innings, trailing 3-0 when Woodruff exited.

Catch the rest of the game on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app.

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Career-low round gives Bautista maiden title

April 29, 2026 Inquirer Sports, News No comments

Javie Bautista mowed down a seven-stroke deficit by coming up with the best round of his young career, a four-under-par 65 on Wednesday, as he broke through in the 11-14 boys’ division by winning the ICTSI Camp John Hay Junior PGT Championship by a shot over Vito Sarines in Baguio. Bautista closed out with three

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5 Early Season Trends to Act On or Ignore (2026 Fantasy Baseball)

April 29, 2026 FantasyPros, News No comments

April is loud. Every breakout looks real, every slump feels permanent, and fantasy baseball managers are left sorting signal from noise. That’s where our Featured Pros come in. We asked the experts which early-season trends actually matter and which ones are just small-sample theater. Before you overhaul your roster or chase the next hot streak, here’s what the pros are buying and what they’re fading.

Early Season Trends to Act On or Ignore (2026 Fantasy Baseball)

Which early-season trend actually matters, and what moves should managers make because of them?

New pitch/Altered pitch mix

“A pitcher who incorporates a new pitch and/or alters his pitch mix can drastically change his results. For example, last season, Chase Dollander threw his curveball 21 percent of the time and his sinker 10 percent. This year, his sinker has a 22 percent usage rate, while he has thrown his curve just six percent of the time. He has also reduced his four-seam fastball usage from 49 to 38 percent. The same can be said of Jose Soriano. Soriano was essentially a two-pitch pitcher last year, throwing a sinker or curve 76 percent of the time. This year, he has incorporated a four-seamer, with nearly even distribution among that offering, his sinker, and his curve. The results for both pitchers have been outstanding thus far. Changing the pitch mix does not guarantee a breakout season, but there is reason to believe both pitchers have staying power throughout the year based on their adjustments.”
– Mick Ciallela (Fantrax)

Team stolen base stats

“One of my favorite things to look at early in the season is which teams are not only running the most, but also which are allowing the most success. These trends tend to persist throughout the season due to team philosophy or roster construction. The Brewers (48), Marlins (41), Rays (41), and Yankees (41) have the most attempts, with the Giants (12), Tigers (13), and Blue Jays (14) sitting at the bottom. Last year? The Rays and Brewers led the league while the Giants, Tigers, and Blue Jays were the most stationary teams in baseball. It may seem obvious, but fantasy managers sometimes ignore this. If I’m looking to pick up some help in the category, it is wise to rule out almost any team below league average unless a total speed demon arrives on the scene. Additionally, if I’m streaming hitters at any position, it’s helpful to look at who they’re facing. The Marlins have not only allowed the most attempts, but other teams are successfully stealing 92.5% of the time. In 2025, it was the same story. This trend is well-established and predictable. In 2026, it also apparently means if you want to gain in the SB category, roster and target the Miami Marlins all season long.”
–Kelly Kirby (FantasyPros)

Young pitcher success

“When you hear the word ‘trend,’ I think most fantasy sports folk think of a specific metric or maybe a specific game-day player behavior, like a noticeable uptick in steals or the complete absence of bunting in today’s game. For me, I looked a little sideways, prepping for this post. Entering draft season, I saw a league with very few aces (I had three based on buzz and ADP: Garrett Crochet, Tarik Skubal, and, reluctantly, Paul Skenes, who I am less high on than most) and a lot of extremely talented young, inexperienced arms. And, while that inflated my risk profile, it also provided a lot of opportunities for value because a lack of track record always results in a drop in ADP and draft cost. We’ve seen that come true in 2026, and I am doing extremely well early on in my industry expert leagues in all formats and both AL/NL Only and Mixed League formats as a result. I targeted either breakout second-year guys who weren’t new to the league but who aren’t established major league veterans or newcomers/rookies like Chase Burns (43 IP in 2025 – #114 ADP), Cameron Schlittler, Nolan McLean, Parker Messick, Chase Dollander (and his SP/RP eligibility), and my second-highest priority during draft season behind only Chase Burns, Jacob Misiorowski. These young, inexperienced arms, along with others like Davis Martin, are popping up and getting it done. This trend often leads to another – SELLING HIGH. You combine terms like “unknown” or “unestablished” with partners in crime-phrases like “small sample size” and “Pop Up,” and the cunning fantasy folks think – Get out – Sell now. DON’T DO IT. This is a trend to maximize, not to dismiss or run from. Young up-and-coming Aces like Cameron Schlittler and Misorowski, to Nolan McLean, Chase Dollander, and Chase Burns are killing it in the K category. All of those I listed are inside the Top 12 in strikeouts. Add surprises like Davis Martin, Landon Roup, and even Payton Tolle from the Boston Red Sox, and you’ve got plenty of room for reasonable doubt in some, and opportunity for others. Buy into the hot starts of the young upstarts and go buying. That’s an early 2026 trend I’d be leaning into.”
– Chris Mitchell (FantasyData)

Which early-season trend should fantasy managers ignore, and why?

Lineup spot

“In season-long Redraft formats, I would not worry a whole lot about lineup spots. First and foremost, they change constantly. With a few exceptions, the days of teams rolling out the same lineups for weeks on end are more or less gone. Managers are constantly implementing platoon situations and trying to counterattack opposing teams with openers, making lineup positions extremely fluid. In addition, players like Dansby Swanson and Andres Gimenez are proving that hitting at the bottom of the lineup does not necessarily have to limit production. Conversely, hitting at the top of the order has not exactly led to much from the likes of TJ Friedl and Steven Kwan to this point in the season.”
– Mick Ciallela (Fantrax)

Overperforming players on bad teams

“My father is anything but an expert in fantasy sports; he has one philosophy in ALL of his different fantasy leagues: Buy players from good teams. He doesn’t do projections. He doesn’t care or even follow buzz. He doesn’t have the time the rest of us have to research and project production. His philosophy is “Keep It Simple Stupid.” Pick players from good teams and, by osmosis, you’ll have a good team as a result. Well, if you look at the current standings, that’s a trend I’m avoiding by selling high. Sorry, Dad. In 2026, a lot of the most productive offenses in baseball are either, by early-season projections or early-season surprise starts, the worst teams in baseball. The Houston Astros are always projected to have a shot at the World Series. Well, they have one of the worst records in baseball. The Washington Nationals are always a cellar dweller, and while they do have a lot of young offensive talent in the pipeline, sixth in RBI and 12th in HR has to be a bit of a surprise to most. The same goes for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, who rank seventh in runs and fourth in HR. Jo Adell had a nice 2025, and Mike Trout is still a good player when healthy, but Top 10 offense? Raise your hand if you are the ONE person who bet that prop during spring training. Team success is a perfect place for fantasy managers to zig when others are zagging. Lineup construction and a good team making a good fantasy player are two of the myths that owners should manipulate and maximize early in the season, before the princess turns back into a pumpkin. Yes, good players can become better players when surrounded by players performing well. That’s what Runs Scored relies on. But don’t overdo it. A mediocre player is still mediocre. Look at the players that are outperforming projections on teams that are outperforming their projections and pounce. SELL… or in some rare cases, BUY. The trend is that the player is on the cusp of a surprisingly amazing breakout season, and you don’t want to miss out on it. Ignore that urge and SELL if you have that player. (Hello, Jose Soriano of the Angels flying high on borrowed wings) or BUY (Hello Christian Walker and Cam Smith in Houston). Look at the Nationals or the Angels, and the opposite holds for the Astros. There is an inefficiency to exploit when mediocre or inexperienced offensive players are riding a hot team’s wave and receiving positive buzz. Be cunning, my friends.”
– Chris Mitchell (FantasyData)

from FantasyPros https://ift.tt/OVJBkpy

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Friday, 1 May 2026

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