Jurickson Profar opens Week 23 with a scorching August, slashing .306/.436/.620 and piling up 9 homers, 26 RBI, and 6 steals. His patient approach and elite walk rate keep him a multi‑category contributor for fantasy managers chasing playoff wins in roto or points formats.

Elly De La Cruz has cooled in the second half, posting a .247/.303/.358 line with limited power despite elite speed. High strikeout and swing‑and‑miss rates explain the dip, so managers should consider sit/start caution in crunch time, especially in points leagues where OBP and power are king.

Joe Ryan remains a high‑upside option, though recent outings have raised eyebrows with three homers allowed in two starts. His overall profile stays strong, but the Padres loom next, offering a stern test. A strong rebound would reaffirm his playoff value, while continued power contact could complicate roto ratios in the final stretch.

A social media moment around Shohei Ohtani and De La Cruz hints at cross‑league buzz surrounding top talent. The Padres’ looming matchup also factors into weekly decisions, as managers weigh streaming and matchup‑based starts heading into the fantasy playoffs. Week 23 looks ready to stress test those rosters.

Drake Baldwin's late two-run homer lifted Atlanta to a 3-1 win over Philadelphia, capping a tense night in which Hurston Waldrep battled through 5.2 innings with 9 strikeouts and a splitter that kept the Phillies guessing. Philly’s bullpen unraveled in the eighth as Baldwin loaded the bases before delivering the decisive blast. The Braves head to Chicago for a Labor Day series with the Cubs, while Baldwin and Waldrep emerge as intriguing late-season fantasy plays.

Atlanta stranded baserunners and could not convert opportunities, falling 2-1 to Philadelphia as Ranger Suarez delivered five solid innings. Bryce Elder wasn’t blown up and kept the Braves in the game, but the offense again failed to string hits together, resorting to a few small-ball chances that never fully materialized. A late Phillies rally in the eighth sealed it, and the series rolls on with Chris Sale’s return on the horizon.

Fantasy takeaway: Elder’s resilience is a sign of stability for Atlanta’s rotation, while Olson, Harris II, Acuña Jr., Albies, and Profar remain high-upside bets when the offense shows life. The Phillies still carry pop from Harper, Marsh, and Schwarber, but the Braves’ run-scoring volatility persists. Anticipate bullpen tweaks and Sale’s impact as key predictors for the next few games.

Atlanta Braves clash with Philadelphia Phillies in a four-game set on the road, with Atlanta trying to disrupt Philly’s push atop the NL East and claim the season series. Ozzie Albies is hot, Jurickson Profar is resurging, and the Braves will counter Turner and Schwarber, who pace PHI in hits and HR/RBI. Philadelphia’s Wheeler is done for the year but the rotation remains stout. Apple TV+ adds a streaming wrinkle, while radio/MLB.tv carry the rest.

Fantasy takeaway: follow Albies and Profar for Braves’ steady run production and consider Turner/Schwarber as core PHI bets, even amid Wheeler’s absence. Start times and broadcast options emphasize planning for a loud, offense-first series with meaningful DFS implications.

Zeke Wood’s 80-game ban and Emilio Gonzalez’s 56-game penalty highlight MLB’s ongoing fight against PED use in the minors, with Wood in the St. Louis system and Gonzalez in the Houston pipeline. Wood, a 25-year-old reliever, carried an 8.49 ERA across Class A Palm Beach and High-A Peoria, while Gonzalez, 17, signed for $67,500 and hit .209 with 7 RBIs in the Dominican Summer League Astros. Jurickson Profar of Atlanta drew an 8-game suspension, underscoring depth shifts to start the season.

Across MLB, 13 players have been suspended this year, including 11 in the minors, which matters for fantasy managers tracking organizational depth and potential call-ups. The suspensions ripple through lineups and farm systems, creating short-term opportunities for some and delaying development for others.