New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo finally got things going offensively in Monday's 8-7 win over the Braves. Nimmo went 4-for-4 with two singles, a two-run home run, a three-run HR, and a walk. The 31-year-old had done almost nothing noteworthy from a fantasy perspective before this game and now owns a .212/.395/.424 slash line with eight RBI and one stolen base in 43 plate appearances. The good news from a points-league perspective is that he has an 18.6% walk rate, but hopefully, this game will kickstart his fantasy production in all league formats.

Houston Astros manager Joe Espada and general manager Dana Brown are reportedly optimistic about Framber Valdez's (elbow) left elbow soreness, per MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. Valdez was scratched from his scheduled start on Monday against the Texas Rangers after feeling soreness in the top of his left elbow after playing catch. He then flew to Houston to visit with team doctors. Espada said, "The fact we did not put him on the IL, it's a good sign," while Brown said, "At the end of the day, I think it's going to be fine." This sounds encouraging for fantasy managers, but they should not get their hopes up until they receive more definitive news. Hopefully, Valdez can avoid becoming one of the many victims of season-ending elbow surgeries already happening this season.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Josiah Gray will try to shake off a disastrous start to his season when he heads to the mound to face the San Francisco Giants and young left-hander Kyle Harrison in Tuesday's road start. Gray was the focal point alongside catcher Keibert Ruiz of the 2021 trade that sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Los Angeles Dodgers, earning an All-Star nod in 2023 after serving up more home runs (38) than anyone else in 2022. But 2024 has been a different story for Gray, who not only surrendered 12 runs in 16 1/3 innings in spring training, but he's also sacrificed 13 runs in his first 8 1/3 frames of the regular season. Over 20 innings (three starts) in his Nationals career against the Giants, however, the 26-year-old right-hander is 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 10 strikeouts. Treat Gray as a sneaky fantasy option for DFS tournaments in a pitcher-friendly environment.

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Patrick Sandoval aims to shift gears from a rocky start to the season when he gets the ball during Tuesday's start at home versus the visiting Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander Aaron Civale. Sandoval fared far better in last Wednesday's win over the Miami Marlins, but he's still yielded five earned runs in 7 1/3 innings to begin the campaign and gave up nine runs in 11 1/3 spring training frames. The 27-year-old left-hander has thrown well in his past three appearances against the Rays dating back to 2022, posting a 2.87 ERA and 16 strikeouts over 15 2/3 innings. Sandoval is worth adding as a streamer ahead of Tuesday night's waiver wire runs in season-long fantasy leagues for a decent matchup, and he'll also be worth a look in DFS contests for those looking to go cheap at pitcher.

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz crushed a 450-foot home run during the fifth inning of Monday's 10-8 win over the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers. He didn't stop there, though, tacking on another run on an exhilarating inside-the-park homer in the seventh frame after center fielder Sal Frelick failed to make a diving grab. Some fantasy managers have been groaning about De La Cruz's placement in Cincy's batting order, as he's hit sixth in all 10 outings, but they can't complain about the results. The 22-year-old 2023 top prospect was great in the spring, and he's now batting .297 (11-for-37) with the aforementioned two big flies, five RBI, six stolen bases, and 11 runs scored following his first three-hit attack of the year. One of the game's most thrilling players, De La Cruz looks to build on this effort in a favorable matchup with Brewers right-hander Joe Ross on Tuesday.