Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (hamstring) is serving as the designated hitter and batting leadoff in the team's Cactus League game on Sunday versus the Texas Rangers. It will be Happ's first time in a spring game since Feb. 29 after he was held out for over two weeks due to a right-hamstring strain. Barring a setback with his hamstring, the 29-year-old outfielder should return to playing defense by late next week and should be ready to go for Opening Day on March 28. The Cubs' starting left fielder, a former first-round pick in 2015 out of Cincinnati, had a solid year in 2023 after earning his first All-Star selection in 2022, slashing .248/.360/.431 with 21 homers, 84 RBI and 14 stolen bases in 691 plate appearances over 158 games. Happ doesn't do anything elite in any one category for fantasy managers, but he's a solid high-floor No. 3 fantasy outfielder.

Houston Astros right-hander Jose Urquidy (elbow) flew back to Houston on Saturday to be examined by doctors after he showed up to camp with his elbow still sore. Urquidy felt some right-elbow discomfort during a minor-league game on Friday and pulled himself from the contest. The fact that the 28-year-old is now going for tests on his right elbow is pretty concerning, especially considering he was on the 60-day injured list in 2023 with an arm injury. Already not much of a mixed-league fantasy asset, Urquidy should be ignored in upcoming drafts for better and more healthy late-round options. With both Urquidy and veteran Justin Verlander (shoulder) dealing with arm injuries late in camp, it may push the Astros to pull the trigger on signing free-agent left-hander Blake Snell. Urquidy is probably a lock to start the year on the injured list.

Boston Red Sox infielder Vaughn Grissom (groin) will not be ready for Opening Day and the target date is now "mid-April, probably late April," according to manager Alex Cora. While Grissom's groin injury this spring hasn't been considered serious, the 23-year-old's timeline continues to be pushed back as the Red Sox play it safe. Grissom is expected to be the team's primary starter at the keystone when he's healthy so the Red Sox would rather have him start the season late than risk a more serious injury. Fantasy managers should now expect him to miss most of the first month of the 2024 season, if not all of it. Grissom will finally have a shot at regular playing time in Beantown after being traded from the Braves, but his groin injury puts a damper on his fantasy upside as a middle-infield option in deep-mixed leagues to begin the year.

Washington Nationals right-hander Josiah Gray has been named the team's Opening Day starter on March 28 in Cincinnati versus the Reds. It won't be an easy assignment in a hitter's park against an emerging Reds lineup with plenty of dangerous hitters in it. The 26-year-old Gray is coming off his first career All-Star season in 2023 in which he went 8-13 with a career-best 3.91 ERA (4.93 FIP) and 1.46 WHIP with 80 walks and 143 strikeouts in 159 innings pitched over a career-high 30 starts. While Gray shouldn't be on the fantasy radar in 12-team mixed fantasy leagues, he has the ability to be a useful matchup-based streamer in deeper leagues, but his Opening Day matchup against Cincy won't be one of those. Left Patrick Corbin is set to pitch the second game for the Nats in Cincinnati.

With St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray (hamstring) not set to be cleared to pitch on Opening Day on March 28 against the Los Angeles Dodgers on the road, right-hander Miles Mikolas has been tabbed as the Opening Day starter for the Red Birds. Not only is Mikolas not much of a mixed-league target in standard 12-team fantasy leagues, but he should be considered a poor DFS option on Opening Day against a strong Dodgers lineup that added Shohei Ohtani in the offseason. The 35-year-old veteran is hoping an improved slider will make him more effective this year after he had a 4.78 ERA and 1.32 WHIP with 39 walks, 137 strikeouts and league-highs in hits allowed (226) and earned runs (107). There's just not much fantasy upside from a pitcher with a career 6.6 strikeouts per nine innings in eight years in the majors.