Jason Heyward DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

San Diego Padres outfielder Jason Heyward (knee) has been placed on the 15-day injured list on Saturday. Heyward is set to miss at least a week of action while he recovers from left knee inflammation. His absence isn't going to hurt too much considering Heyward is slashing .190/.255/.286 with one home run and six RBI in 17 games. In a corresponding move, Tirso Ornelas has been recalled from Triple-A El Paso. The 25-year-old has been putting up good numbers in the minors and is deserving of a chance at the big league level. However, Ornelas isn't a must-have option right now, so fantasy managers should wait and see how he does.

San Diego Padres outfielders Gavin Sheets and Jason Heyward are not in the starting lineup on Saturday afternoon, as the Chicago Cubs will send left-handed pitcher Matthew Boyd to the mound. Fantasy managers should expect both Sheets and Heyward to return to the starting lineup on Sunday when they face scheduled starter right-handed pitcher Ben Brown. Instead, the Padres will have Yuli Gurriel serve as the designated hitter for Sheets and Brandon Lockridge to cover left field in favor of Heyward. Sheets has enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign, hitting a .421 AVG with five RBI across seven contests. Both Gurriel and Lockridge are not worth targeting in DFS facing Boyd, who tossed five shutout frames in his season debut.

San Diego Padres outfielder Brandon Lockridge has been told he will make the Opening Day roster, and he's expected to platoon in left field with Jason Heyward to begin the season, according to MLB.com's AJ Cassavell. Lockridge, who bats right-handed, will be on the short side of the platoon with Heyward, primarily entering the starting lineup when the Friars face a left-handed starting pitcher. The 28-year-old earned a spot on the Opening Day roster by hitting .364 with seven stolen bases and two RBI in 20 Cactus League games this spring. He made his big-league debut in 2024 with SD but appeared in just 12 games, going 2-for-12 with a homer, RBI and two stolen bases. Lockridge's main draw is his speed -- he stole 50 bags in the majors and minors with the Padres and Yankees in 2024 -- but because his playing time will be limited, he's mainly an asset for his speed in NL-only fantasy leagues.