Tony Pollard Fantasy Week 15: Projections vs. Bengals, Points and Stats, Start or Sit

One thing that most of us have suspected is that the Chicago Cubs' decision to non-tender Kyle Schwarber was (1) entirely motivated by an extreme need to cut costs after the "biblical losses" of the pandemic year, and (2) something the Cubs would have come to regret in the years that followed. In his interview with Dave Kaplan and Gordon Wittenmyer on ReKAP, Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer...

I ate so many Do-Rite donuts yesterday that I might not be able to eat more than an additional three today. Shameful stuff. Oh yeah, also, CUBS CONVENTION! It starts today, and I will be there wandering around with a smile on my face. Actually pretty excited for CubsCon this year, even as there is still that pervasive sense that they need to do more for the 2025 roster. Sammy...

In an absolutely shocking twist that will only serve to absolutely shock even more when this winds up with Roki Sasaki going to the team everyone knew he was going to a year ago (sarcasm and such), the San Diego Padres are reportedly out of the running for the Japanese ace. Hearing from multiple sources that the Padres are out in Roki Sasaki. They will begin their international signings of...

Although the Chicago Cubs were the first MLB team to wear baby blue jerseys (all the way back in 1941!), that particular hue has since become pervasive throughout the league. Almost every team - even the Cardinals - has gone to that well for one alternate design or another. In the meantime, the Cubs haven't actually trotted out their own baby blues since 1981. But guess what, friends? It's coming...

The Cubs did not want any Bad Vibes infecting Cubs Convention this weekend. To that end, this is a very savvy move: there will be no arbitration fight with Kyle Tucker. Via Jesse Rogers: Breaking News: The Cubs and OF Kyle Tucker have agreed on a $16.5 mil contract for 2025, sources tell ESPN. The sides avoid an arbitration hearing and Tucker will be in Chicago for the team's fan...

Kind of a weird set of connections here, but a relatively innocuous move like the New York Mets re-signing DH Jesse Winker might wind up having a downstream impact on the Chicago Cubs' bullpen pursuits. First, the signing, with Winker, 31, getting around $8 million after a bounce-back year in 2024 (.253/.360/.405/118 wRC+): https://twitter.com/JonHeyman/status/1879959744359854428 In tandem with that signing, the Mets are reportedly pivoting away from their most recent Pete...

Despite our continued warning that free agent third baseman Alex Bregman is unlikely to sign with the Chicago Cubs, the rumors and discussion just won't stop. From Jon Heyman to Bruce Levine to David Kaplan/Gorden Wittenmeyer to David Haugh, it's all anyone can talk about. But I think that's about to change. The one reason this discussion popped up in the first place — his reported willingness to take a...

There we go. After a 24-hour delay because reasons, two of the Cubs' International Free Agent signings have reportedly finally gone official: The @Cubs have agreed to deals with two of the Top 50 international prospects:10. Juan Cabada, SS ($1.5 million)13. Wilfri De La Cruz, SS/3B ($2.3 million)Keep updated on the latest signings: https://t.co/85U9SjTqH8 pic.twitter.com/3YHhGN4VbX— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) January 16, 2025 We don't yet know what was going on behind...

I don't know if you've seen it yet, but David Kaplan and Gordon Wittenmyer sat down with Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer for a *fantastic* hour-long interview on the Cubs Rekap Podcast/Youtube Channel. We're going to dig into a number of items Hoyer discussed during that chat (we've already started!), but you should immediately go listen to the entire thing. It's probably the best Hoyer interview we've gotten...

Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer sat in with Dave Kaplan and Gordon Wittenmyer for a long, wide-ranging, thoughtfull-candid talk on the ReKAP podcast. I highly recommend you watch/listen if you get a chance, because it provides so much more context and perspective on the things a front office does, why the make the choices they do, what the constraints are, so on and so forth. Of course...

Day 12 of the Chicago Bears offseason. Let's get weird. The Bears have sent 20 requests to interview coaching candidates from all over the spectrum. But one area the team hasn't dabbled in is the fictional realm. With that in mind, here is how I'd rank my favorite fictional football coaches: IF YOU SQUINT, YOU SEE A LITTLE BIT OF BEN JOHNSON: Lance Harbor (Varsity Blues) went from five-star quarterback...

Because the Chicago Bears have reportedly sent out 20 interview requests, it hasn't felt as if the team is any closer to finding a new head coach than it was when it began on this adventure 10 days ago. Perhaps that perception is about to change. One NFL insider hears that the Chicago Bears are zeroing in on two particular candidates in their search for a new head coach. Jordan...

The nightmare that was the 2024 Chicago Bears season is over. Before the transactional period starts and the roster changes begin, we will recap the seasons of most of the 53-man roster. Next up: We're looking at the 2024 season of safety Jonathan Owens. Jonathan Owens' 2024 Snapshot When Jonathan Owens signed a two-year deal with the Bears last summer, I'm sure the plan wasn't for Owens to start seven...

James Pearce Jr., one of the top-rated NFL Draft-eligible defensive line prospects in this class, announced his entry into the 2025 NFL Draft in style. Check out this video he posted on Twitter/X: VFL🧡 pic.twitter.com/052zn6diUn— JCP (@JamesPearceJr10) January 16, 2025 Well, that is certainly one way to announce your entry into the 2025 NFL Draft. James Pearce Jr. is one of the most intriguing prospects in his class and at...

For the second time in three years, Brian Flores is going to interview with the Chicago Bears regarding the team's vacant head coach position. As NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reports, Flores figures to be busy this weekend as he has a trio of interviews lined up with teams inquiring about his interest in returning to the ranks of the league's head coaches: https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1879896398650577313 In addition to the Bears' interview...

The nightmare that was the 2024 Chicago Bears season is over. Before the transactional period starts and the roster changes begin, we will recap the seasons of most of the 53-man roster. Next up: We're looking at the 2024 season of right tackle Darnell Wright. Darnell Wright's 2024 Snapshot Wright's 2024 season came with high expectations. The Bears passed on Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter in the 2023 NFL Draft...

The order isn't set just yet, but we know where the Chicago Bears will be picking in the first round when the 2025 NFL Draft rolls around in April. Chicago's football team is set to pick 10th overall. It could have been picking as high as seventh, but beating the Green Bay Packers in Week 18 at Lambeau Field took that possibility out of the equation. And while moving up...

The nightmare that was the 2024 Chicago Bears season is over. Before the transactional period starts and the roster changes begin, we will recap the seasons of most of the 53-man roster. Today, we're looking at the 2024 season of tight end Cole Kmet. Cole Kmet's 2024 Snapshot The 2024 season was frustrating for many, but few felt that frustration like tight end Cole Kmet. Kmet finished the season with...

This is as close as you'll get to an NFL insider throwing cold water on the hot rumor of Ben Johnson becoming the next Las Vegas Raiders head coach. Twitter/X user @DaBearCave1920 shares this clip from ESPN's Adam Schefter, which seems to cast some doubt on the idea that Ben Johnson to the Raiders is a certified lock: Adam Schefter talking about Ben Johnson and the situation with the #Raiders...

Day 11 of the Chicago Bears' offseason. CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones reports that the Bears don't have an interview scheduled with a head coach candidate for the first time in a week. Maybe that'll allow us time for some rest. Not bloody likely... I just thought I'd let you know from the top that I updated our Bears head coach interview candidates and rumors tracker this morning. The...

The Chicago Bulls began the week with what felt like their easiest four-game stretch of the entire season. They were 18-21 and had a clear path toward surpassing the .500 for the first time since Oct. 30. The Bulls proceeded to lose back-to-back games to the New Orleans Pelicans and Atlanta Hawks in embarrassing fashion. They are now 1-4 in their last five games and closer to the No. 11...

"We aren’t here for the Play-In. It’s a team game, and we have to make changes to fix things. I take full responsibility for where we are right now.” Arturas Karnisovas uttered those exact words on April 20, 2024. The Chicago Bulls were fresh off losing in the Play-In Tournament for the second consecutive season. Even the hard-headed executive knew he could no longer sit in front of a microphone...

The NBA Trade deadline is EXACTLY three weeks away! While a few minor deals have been made around The Association, the biggest fish on the market are still out there as we approach the February 6th deadline. The biggest openly available name remains Jimmy Butler. It's uncertain where he'll end up, but it most certainly seems like Miami wants to move him. In addition to that, Phoenix wants to make...

While I wish I could say the Chicago Bulls pencil dove into a new low on Wednesday night, they frequent those waters. One night after losing to the worst team in the West, they fell to an Atlanta Hawks team missing their top three scorers. No Trae Young. No Jalen Johnson. No DeAndre Hunter. Yet, the Bulls still lost 110-94 and were outscored 22-10 in points off turnovers. This team...

If you thought Coby White's poster slam over Victor Wembanyama a few games ago was nice, wait until you see what Ja Morant did tonight! Up 11 with just over two minutes to play in tonight's Grizzlies & Spurs matchup, Morant drove hard to the bucket and threw a massive one-handed dunk down over Wembanyama with both arms extended. Now, of course, the basket didn't count because Stephon Castle was...

One night after losing to the West-worst New Orleans Pelicans, the Chicago Bulls were ready to right their wrongs ... or so we thought! The Bulls followed up one of their most disappointing performances of the season with an even more grimace-inducing loss. Atlanta came into tonight missing Trae Young, Jalen Johnson, and DeAndre Hunter – aka the team's Top 3 scorers. No. 1 overall pick Zacchaire Risacher was also...

Who's excited for this 9v10 Play-In Tournament preview?! Let's bounce back vs. ATL.⏰: 7:00 pm CT 💻: https://t.co/dLgvAjfc2T 📻: @670TheScore pic.twitter.com/rvBXLuFOUL— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 15, 2025 Game Info Atlanta Hawks (20-19) at Chicago Bulls (18-22) – 7:00 p.m. CT on Chicago Sports Network (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio) Lineups Chicago Bulls Coby White Josh Giddey Zach LaVine Patrick Williams Nikola Vucevic Atlanta Hawks Dyson Daniels Bogdan Bogdanovic Vit Krejci Zaccharie...

Angel Reese may be preparing for her first-ever game in the Unrivaled Basketball League, but she is still hard at work for the Chicago Sky. The emerging superstar made a pitch to the many intriguing WNBA free agents on Wednesday evening. After referencing some of the new amenities Unrivaled has to offer in Miami – including multiple meals a day and spa-like treatment – Reese made sure players knew that...

The Chicago Bulls have roughly three weeks to make up their mind. According to long-time insider K.C. Johnson, though, they may not need it. In a video mailbag for the Chicago Sports Network, Johnson answered a question about the organization's plans for Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic. Despite the team sitting at 18-22 and in the thick of the Play-In Tournament race, he shared that taking a step backward by...

After sitting out the front end of the Chicago Bulls' back-to-back, Ayo Dosunmu is expected to make his return on Wednesday night. Dosunmu has not played since Dec. 23, 2024, and has missed the previous 10 games with a lower leg injury. Considering his lengthy absence, it's anticipated that the Bulls will ease him back into things with a minutes restriction. The 24-year-old guard had finally settled into a nice...

The Blackhawks lost last night in Nashville. If your concern at this point is lottery balls -- which I wouldn't blame you if it is -- then that's a good result (Nashville currently sits third in the order and have three picks in the first round in 2025). But when you look at the GameScore Impact Card from the game, you'll note that the top line was easily the Blackhawks'...

If Seth Jones hasn't been the most popular player on the Blackhawks' roster the past few years, Lukas Reichel's fan club has been vocal and consistent -- even if his play hasn't followed suit. Reichel has bounced up and down (and in and out of) the Blackhawks' lineup this season. He has never found a groove with any line since getting on a bit of a heater with Pat Maroon...

We've talked a lot about Seth Jones here since he arrived. He's been a polarizing player throughout his tenure in Chicago, and fans either don't like him at all or defend him to a fault. Those who don't like Jones generally like to throw around comments on social media like "trade him for a bag of pucks" or "buy him out" without considering the actual value of a right-handed defenseman...

Another familiar script started the game tonight. The Blackhawks came out of the gates well, carried the play for about seven minutes and then an unfortunate penalty (Ilya Mikheyev putting a puck into the seats) opened the door. Nashville scored 12 seconds into their power play. Right off the following faceoff Pat Maroon dropped the gloves with Michael McCarron (legit heavyweights). Overall, even with a one-goal deficit, the first period...

Maybe the two busiest teams in free agency this past summer were the Blackhawks and Predators. The Hawks were looking for placeholders; the Preds were trying to win a championship. The Blackhawks are dead last in the standings. The Preds are third in the draft lottery order today. There's plenty of firepower on the other side tonight. And they have some good defensive centers to deal with the Blackhawks' youngsters....

I wanted to start this morning with a couple comments about the Blackhawks trading Isaak Phillips to Winnipeg yesterday. The Blackhawks selected Phillips in the fifth round (No. 141) of the 2020 NHL Draft. He was admittedly rushed into turning pro because the Blackhawks wanted to see him continue to develop and COVID shut down the CHL for a year. Over the four and a half years since then, Phillips...

We've got a full slate of NCAA hockey involving Blackhawks prospects this weekend with some important matchups in the NCHC and Hockey East. Chicago's prospects are playing very well right now; many of them are at or near the top of their team's offensive leaders. They'll need to keep rolling to get some big, needed wins. Here's the schedule for the weekend and the stat updates for Chicago's college prospects....

After the Blackhawks practiced on Wednesday, Taylor Hall held court with the media. He was sporting a nice black eye from the hit he received against Calgary on Monday night. He was not as confident that he'll be in Chicago after the trade deadline as he might have been earlier this year. Back in October, Hall told Frank Seravalli at Daily Faceoff that he would love to be around Chicago...

The Blackhawks have traded left-handed defenseman Isaak Phillips to the Winnipeg Jets. Which makes sense given the organizational depth on the left side of the blue line and the appearance that Phillips had fallen on the depth chart this season. But... the Blackhawks are reportedly getting... left-handed defenseman Dmitry Kuzmin in return. Yeah... https://twitter.com/NHLBlackhawks/status/1879597345966637484 Anyways, Kuzmin was a third-round pick (no. 82 overall) by the Jets in 2021. He hasn't...

Hello, everybody. I have a few updates for you, so I thought we'd set up another META thread to discuss what's here, what's coming, and what problems you may have if you're still experiencing anything. New Story Feature Right now, on the homepage, we've created a new way to discover Chicago sports articles on Bleacher Nation. For each of our four core categories - Cubs, Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks -...