O-line returns only a couple of semi-familiar names in Nate Crawford and Alec Abeln, who combined for 11 starts last season. Both tackles will start from scra

Even though everyone is a weekend removed from a four-day respite, eight teams are off on Monday. However, the reduced quantity does not result in poor quality as several aces return to action as their clubs used the short week to give them an extra day to recharge.If the weekend is any indication, the pitchers are a little ahead of the hitters, as scoring was way down compared to going into the break. It shouldnt be long before the hitters get their timing back and home runs return to leaving the yard at a record pace.This week also marks the homestretch for those making a playoff push in seasonal head-to-head leagues. No matter what game you play, everything you need to start the week in the right direction is here in Mondays daily notes.PitchingEliteWhile nothing has been announced officially, most expect Jose Fernandez to be capped around 180 innings, leaving him about 73 to go. That equates to 11, maybe 12, more starts. There are 11 weeks left in the campaign, so by delaying the rightys post-break debut through the weekend, the Miami Marlins will only need to skip their prized, soon-to-be 24-year-olds turn once or twice more. Fernandez opens his second half in Citizens Bank Park against a middling Philadelphia Phillies squad. Hell cost, but as usual, Fernandez is worth the hefty DFS price tag.With 125 frames and an All-Star start already on his 2016 ledger, the Chicago White Sox opted to give Chris Sale an extra day, as he was originally scheduled for Sunday. Now he draws a date in the Pacific Northwest against the Seattle Mariners. Sales strikeout rate is markedly down, and its decline is supported by a lower swinging strike rate along with fewer first-pitch strikes. Its premature to confidently declare this is a new baseline for the ace, though the safe approach is to temper expectation in terms of strikeouts going forward. Theres nothing wrong with a rate right around a batter per inning, but its just not the double-digit level everyone anticipated. As for this matchup, its better to pay up for Fernandez in DFS cash play and look for cheaper options for tournament action.While most hurlers would give their non-throwing arm for a 3.61 ERA, Corey Kluber and his fantasy owners deserve to be a little disappointed, as hes pitched to a slightly better ERA. The Cleveland Indians right-hander opens the unofficial second half in Kauffman Stadium against a Kansas City Royals club that is battling through injuries. There isnt much strikeout upside past Klubers usual hitter per inning, but the matchup is safe enough to deploy the All-Star in cash games.SolidAfter averaging 207 regular-season innings for the past eight years and pacing for another 200-frame campaign, no one may have benefited from a week off more than Jon Lester. The veteran lefty entered the break on a tailspin but is in a great spot to get things going again as he faces a New York Mets club that whiffs at a 24 percent clip against southpaws. This avails Lester the strikeout upside intrinsic to GPP action.StreamersMike Leake kicks off the potential spot starters as hes owned in just 41 percent of ESPN leagues. Not only is the St. Louis Cardinals righty in play as a seasonal league streamer, but with an affair in pitcher-friendly Busch Stadium against the strikeout prone San Diego Padres, Leake is a lower-end GPP candidate, too.Since I prefer to take chances early in the head-to-head scoring week, its worth incurring the risk and letting Nick Tropeano loose for a home date with the Texas Rangers. Angels Stadium is a pitchers park, which helps buffer the risk.Lets ignore the name for a moment. You have a chance to use a guy sporting 9.9 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 and .94 HR/9 -- all much better than league average -- at home against the Marlins. Its a no-brainer, right? What if the pitcher in question is Aaron Nola? Not so easy anymore?Nolas June swoon and subsequent extra time off around the break is well documented, so no need to reiterate. The concern from a numbers perspective is his swinging strike rate plummeted as the first half progressed. Again, with an aggressive philosophy, I want Nola active when, not if, he gets back on track. I like his chances Monday night.There arent many spots where streaming Brandon Finnegan is a viable option. A home affair with the punchless Atlanta Braves qualifies.Since neither are going to make the avoid section, lets tackle the Coors Field dilemma as Drew Smyly and the Tampa Bay Rays head to the mountains for an interleague tussle against Tyler Anderson and the Colorado Rockies. Theres no more challenging rest-of-season projection than Smyly. The number crunchers still love him, contending all he needs to do is get the homers under control. The watch-the-game crowd asks, Have you seen him pitch? As a card-carrying member of both factions, Im still on the Smyly bandwagon but have a hard time trusting him a mile high.That said, theres serious strikeout potential, so if you need a boost in that category and can absorb a hit to ratios, the lefty is in play. The confidence level is a little higher for Anderson, one of the first halfs pleasant surprises. The Rays are one of the best teams in the league against southpaws but also whiff a ton in that scenario. Anderson is like Smyly, viable for punchouts with risk to ratios. Forced to pick one, the nod goes to Anderson.AvoidDespite falling short of the projected game score threshold of 45 to be an automatic avoid, Edinson Volquez, Matt Wisler, Ricky Nolasco and Christian Friedrich are all too risky for my tastes. If youre curious why, or have any other questions pertaining to Mondays slate, please post the query in the comments section or fire a tweet to @ToddZola, and Ill do my best to reply.Hitting The Baltimore Orioles get top billing as they square off with the only hurler falling in the auto-avoid range, Ivan Nova. The New York Yankees incendiary righty is equally charitable to all hitters, so platoon edge isnt as important. Using Yankee Stadiums inviting right-field porch as a tiebreaker, well favor lefty swingers like Chris Davis and Pedro Alvarez, but dont eschew Adam Jones, Manny Machado, Jonathan Schoop and especially Mark Trumbo.Until Wisler figures out how to keep left-handed batters in check, hes going to be vulnerable to rough outings. In homer-friendly Great American Ballpark, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce make for a great mini-stack.The Cardinals used to be a great stacking option with a righty on the hill, but with the emergence of Stephen Piscotty, Aledmys Diaz, Randal Grichuk and Tommy Pham, along with veterans Matt Holliday, Jhonny Peralta and Yadier Molina, they can give southpaws like the San Diego Padres Friedrich fits.Nolasco doesnt beat himself. He pitches around the plate, forcing teams to put the ball in play to beat him. This can be a successful recipe at times, but a matchup at Comerica Park against the Detroit Tigers isnt one of them. For his career, the Minnesota Twins righty has exhibited reverse splits, which feeds right into the heart of the Tigers lineup. Starting with Ian Kinsler and Cameron Maybin, passing through Miguel Cabrera and Nick Castellanos and ending with Justin Upton, Nolasco could be in for a long evening. And that doesnt even include switch-hitting Victor Martinez, whos also in play.The contrarian stack consists of the Indians visiting Kauffman Stadium, where Volquez will take the ball for the Royals. Switch-hitters Carlos Santana and Francisco Lindor sandwich lefty Jason Kipnis at the top of the Tribes order. Further down resides Lonnie Chisenhall as a cheaper addition to the stack.Most likely to hit a homer: Despite the overall boost in long balls, Chris Davis is lagging behind last years pace. Look for Crush to pick up said pace against Nova and his 1.7 HR/9.Most likely to steal a base: Jose Reyes is in a great spot to jump-start his running game with Lester on the hill. Ryan Carpenter Jersey . Clarke was injured while practicing on the Doha Golf Club range after the pro-am on Tuesday. The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play. Shea Theodore Jersey . Kozun faked to the forehand and beat Monsters starter, Calvin Pickard, pad side in the second round for the winner. Spencer Abbott also scored in the shootout for the Marlies (25-13-4). http://www.officialgoldenknightsfanstore.com/brandon-pirri-golden-knights-jersey-c-44/ . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night. William Karlsson Jersey . - Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is not a fan of his teams use of the wildcat formation, saying "it makes you look like a high school offence. Erik Haula Jersey . The 29-year-old Baines has established himself as one of the top attacking full backs in the country and was the subject of two bids from United during the last off-season. Everton manager Roberto Martinez says that keeping Baines at the club is a "massive boost and exciting for the future" because he brings "maturity and football knowledge in a very specialized position on the pitch" and an "infectious and positive influence to the rest of the squad. This story appears in ESPN College Football 2016, on newsstands now. Order online today!Leonard Fournette?and?Myles Garrett?dont need to fend off any preseason challengers.But not everybody has the same job security as Fournette, LSUs star running back, and Texas A&Ms all-world pass-rusher, Garrett.Heres the biggest position battle for all 14 SEC teams, presented in order of projected finish.East DivisionTennessee Volunteers: Left tackle?Longtime starter Kyler Kerbyson is gone, and RT Chance Hall missed the spring with an injury, so Brett Kendrick shifted to his spot. That leaves redshirt freshman Drew Richmond to battle senior Dontavius Blair on the left. Richmond could be the future at this position, but hell have to adjust after moving from the right side.Georgia Bulldogs: Quarterback?Pick your poison, Georgia. Graduate transfer and returning starter Greyson Lambert struggled deep into SEC play, averaging just 164.3 pass yards per game. Junior Brice Ramsey, the early 2015 favorite, punted almost as much as he threw last season. True freshman Jacob Eason, the top-ranked prep QB in 2016, is clearly the future of the position but has yet to take a collegiate snap. Although Eason boasts the purest talent of the trio, the Bulldogs staff has said it wants to bring him along carefully. So many options ... so little clarity.Florida Gators: Quarterback?There will be pressure until a Gators QB finally proves he can consistently throw against SEC opponents. Former starter Treon Harris moved to receiver, then was suspended in the spring, so Luke Del Rio, who walked on last year, is the favorite. Still, Del Rio failed to establish himself in stints at Alabama and Oregon State, which leaves room for Purdue graduate transfer Austin Appleby and true freshmen Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask to enter the race.South Carolina Gamecocks: Quarterback?New OC Kurt Roper wants to run an up-tempo spread, so mobility under center will be critical. While a trio of QBs who logged starts in 2015 return (Perry Orth, Lorenzo Nunez, Connor Mitch), true freshman and 2016 ESPN 300 dual-threat Brandon McIlwain may be best suited to run Ropers O in the long run.Missouri Tigers: Offensive line?New faces, redshirts and backups abound. Down four starters with nearly 130 career starts, the O-line returns only a couple of semi-familiar names in Nate Crawford and Alec Abeln, who combined for 11 starts last season. Both tackles will start from scratch, while a couple of sophomores, OT Paul Adams and G Kevin Pendleton, got some work toward the end of the season and could man the right side.Kentucky Wildcats: Linebacker?The Wildcats lose six of their top seven tacklers from 2015, including, most critically, LB Josh Forrest. The unit was dealt an additional blow with the offseason dismissal of Jason Hatcher (marijuana trafficking), so Kentucky will depend on a pair of Big Ten transfers -- Courtney Love from Nebraska and DeNiro Laster from Minnesota -- to fill the hole in the defenses depleted middle.Vanderbilt Commodores: Safety?Derek Masons D relies heavily on its safeties ability to play both in the back end and in the box. With Andrew Williamson gone, junior Oren Burks needs help at the other spot. Theres depth (Ryan White, Emmanuel Smith and Arnold Tarpley return), and frosh Joejuaan Williams, Vandys lone 2016 ESPN 300 prep, enrolled early and will vie for playing time from Day 1.ddddddddddddWest DivisionLSU Tigers: Quarterback?For the third time in as many years, Brandon Harris will compete for QB1. (He served as backup in 2014 before being named starter last season.) Harris, a junior, had a solid first half in 2015, playing to a 78.2 QBR through Week 7, only to throw three TDs and five picks in November. The dual-threat QB will face off against a dropback passer, Purdue transfer Danny Etling, to try to kick-start an aerial attack that ranked No. 105 in the FBS (180.4 yards per game).Alabama Crimson Tide: Quarterback?Count the Tide as yet another SEC team with a question mark at QB. Junior Cooper Bateman lost the starting job to Jake Coker last season, and this year, Bateman must fend off redshirt freshman Blake Barnett and sophomore David Cornwell for the gig. No matter which pro-style passer gets tabbed, hell be Lane Kiffins third straight first-time starter in Tuscaloosa.Ole Miss Rebels: Offensive line?All five starters who lined up in the trenches for the Rebels Sugar Bowl victory in January are gone. The arrival of five-star signee OT Gregory Little, the second-ranked prep in the 2016 ESPN 300, certainly helps, but potential starters Rod Taylor and Robert Conyers are the only Ole Miss veterans along the O-line (12 combined career starts). A handful of other linemen (Javon Patterson, Jordan Sims, Sean Rawlings) have some starting reps, but the front line is in major rebuilding mode.Texas A&M Aggies: Running back?The quarterback saga in College Station is compelling, and certainly critical, but finding Tra Carsons heir apparent at running back will also be vital this fall. Carson was the first 1,000-yard rusher in the Sumlin era, and though the Aggies have a host of backfield options, the units leading veteran is now junior James White, who ran for just 196 yards last season. Look for Oklahoma transfer Keith Ford and three other backs to push for touches.Mississippi State Bulldogs: Quarterback?Dak Prescott owns every Mississippi State career passing record, so good luck to his successor. In the spring, Mullen rotated four QBs with the first team, all of whom are promising, if inexperienced. Sophomore Nick Fitzgerald went 11-of-14 for 235 yards and three TDs in eight games last season. Damian Williams and Elijah Staley: 75 career attempts combined. Nick Tiano? Freshman. As Mullen said, this ones wide open.Auburn Tigers: Quarterback?Jeremy Johnson earned preseason Heisman chatter in 2015 -- then tossed six INTs in the Tigers first three games. Sean White took over and wasnt much better, throwing for one TD in seven outings. The two are in the mix for starter again, with juco transfer John Franklin III as a dual-threat option.Arkansas Razorbacks: Offensive line?Former starting quarterback Brandon Allens younger brother, Austin, will inherit the QB reins, but the question now is who will protect him. RT Dan Skipper and C Frank Ragnow return, but the Hogs are otherwise inexperienced. Among potential starters: redshirt freshman Colton Jackson and converted defensive lineman Hjalte Froholdt. ' ' '