Even though the Red Sox are facing a right-handed pitcher, Rob Refsnyder will start in left field with Jarren Duran shifting over to center. Rafaela is a Gold Glove caliber centerfielder, and he has cut his strikeout rate under 19 percent so far this season, which are obvious reasons for the Red Sox to keep him in the lineup. However, he still swings and misses too much, and he has Roman Anthony, the top prospect in baseball, breathing down his neck, so Rafaela will need to start producing soon before he becomes a super utility player.

The good news for Smith is that he has a lot of depth chart runway. Garrett Wilson is the obvious No. 1, but neither Josh Reynolds nor Allen Lazard qualifies as a locked-in WR2 at this stage of their careers. Smith’s blazing speed has intrigued Aaron Glenn, who noted how fast he was in rookie minicamp over the weekend by simply noting “Arian has some juice.” The tough news is that as long as Justin Fields is the starter, it’s hard to believe he’ll be seeing many deep shots that aren’t schemed wide open. Still, Smith has some appeal in deeper leagues and could make an interesting dynasty stash.

“Obviously, he had 1,000 yards over the last two years, and then he can catch the ball out of the back field. Good in the screen game. Competitor, man,” Coen continued. As last year taught us, anyone involved in a Liam Coen screen game can be a fantasy factor. It’s probably a little too early to get excited about Allen — and Allen is behind Bhayshul Tuten in the Jacksonville running back pecking order — but Coen’s vision of how he wants to use Allen is noteworthy for fantasy leagues.

Etienne doesn’t figure to factor in much as a runner early behind Chuba Hubbard. But since neither Hubbard nor Rico Dowdle have a rich history of catching the football, it’s possible that Etienne winds up playing a third-down role for the Panthers early. That’ll depend mostly on if the coaches trust him in pass protection. It will likely take injuries ahead of him for the undersized Etienne to be a fantasy factor in his rookie season.

They also officially agreed to terms with seventh-round RB Damien Martinez and seventh-round WR Ricky White III. Horton and White will probably battle for a spot at the end of the roster behind Cooper Kupp, Jaxson Smith-Njigba, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar has predicted that Horton will wind up as the main return specialist for Seattle this year in a recent mailbag. White and Jake Bobo will probably be in a true dogfight for the final spot in the wideout room.

Alvarez started hitting Monday as he continues his recovery from a muscle strain in his right hand, and the Astros figure to activate him as soon as he’s comfortable. Thursday is probably the best bet at the moment.

One major trait that stands out in Rucker’s game is his speed off the ball. If you’re playing him on the outside, he can really win those bull rush battles. His speed also helps him consistently get to the quarterback, posting an 81.8 pass rush grade in 2024. Rucker really blew up in 2023, where he recorded 61 total tackles and 8.5 sacks. He plays with a high motor, and his combination of speed and bend on the outside is impressive. His 32 ⅝-inch armspan has given him the advantage to win those one-on-one battles. He is active with his hands, and he doesn’t rely on one move. As a run defender, there are times where he relies on his speed. Meaning, he’ll lack the upper body strength and sometimes get beat right away. Rucker also isn’t as physical off the ball consistently. Overall, Rucker has consistently improved over his collegiate career, recording 18 sacks over the last three seasons. A fractured fibula left Rucker unsigned through the early part of post-draft free agency, but the Ravens are apparently comfortable enough with the injury to take a chance.