Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulder) and outfielder Wilyer Abreu (illness) are in the starting lineup on Saturday. Devers will be the DH and bat in the two-hole while Abreu will cover right field and bat eighth. Devers has been dealing with a shoulder injury throughout most of camp. There have been reports that he could begin the season exclusively as a designated hitter. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status but seeing him return to the starting lineup is a positive sign. Abreu battled an illness throughout camp and even lost some weight as a result. The team may opt to increase his workload slowly during the remainder of camp to ensure he is ready for Opening Day. During the regular season, Devers will likely see time at the hot corner and at DH while Abreu will see most of his starts in right field.

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) believes that he can play better than he ever has but will change his playstyle. The former 2023 NL MVP noted that he would "rather steal 30 and play a whole year as opposed to stealing 70, injuring myself and missing a whole year." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during the early part of the season as he is currently targeting a return sometime in May. Acuna suffered a torn ACL in his left knee last season but is on pace to make his 2025 debut early in the campaign. Before suffering the injury in May 2024, Acuna held a .250/.351/.365 line with four home runs and 16 stolen bases. During his 2023 MVP campaign, Acuna posted an impressive .337/.416/.596 line with 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases. While he is sidelined in April, Jarred Kelenic and Bryan De La Cruz will split time in right field. When he does return, he will be viewed as a high-end No. 1 outfielder. However, he may be less eager to run, which could slightly limit his overall ceiling.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker (knee) is returning to the starting lineup on Saturday afternoon. He is slated to cover right field and bat in the six-hole. The former 21st overall selection in the 2020 MLB Draft has been sidelined since early March with this knee injury. However, seeing him return to the lineup suggests he will not face any restrictions by Opening Day. When healthy, Walker is expected to serve as their everyday right fielder. Last season, Walker held an underwhelming .201/.253/.366 slash line with 10 doubles and five home runs across 51 contests. However, he began to find his footing in the final month of the regular season as he posted a much-higher .253/.388/.494 line. During his rookie season, Walker posted a .276/.342/.445 line. The 22-year-old is worth a look as a late-round option in five outfielder leagues as he took significant steps in his development at the end of the 2024 campaign.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes was named the Opening Day starter. Skenes will face the Miami Marlins. The former first-overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft made his MLB debut last May and was one of the most valuable pitchers in fantasy. He tossed 133 innings and held a stellar 1.96 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. He tallied strikeouts at an impressive 33.1 percent rate. He placed in the 97th percentile in xERA and 94th percentile in xBA. He also generated ground balls at an impressive 52.3 percent rate (89th percentile). Skenes was named NL Rookie of the Year. He tallied at least eight punchouts in 13 of his 23 appearances. Skenes will be viewed as a top DFS play on Opening Day as he will face the Marlins who are projected to have one of the worst offensive lineups in the National League.

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (intercostal) is feeling better and is still planning to be ready for Opening Day. Roch Kubatko of MASN noted that Henderson is planning to get into spring training contests soon as well. Henderson sustained this injury in February but is still on track to be in the Opening Day lineup. Fantasy managers should continue to keep a close eye on his status as a return to spring training could provide clarity on his availability for the regular season. Last season, the 23-year-old enjoyed a career-season as he posted a .281/.364/.529 slash line with 37 home runs and 21 stolen bases. He generated an elite .374 xwOBA, .282 xBA, and a .492 xSLG, placing him in the 94th, 93rd, and 92nd percentile, respectively. If Henderson were to miss time early in the season, Jackson Holliday will likely shift to shortstop, opening the keystone for Ramon Urias.