Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith will start on the bench in Wednesday's series finale against the division-rival Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Austin Barnes will do the catching for right-hander Bobby Miller and will hit in the nine-hole against Rockies right-hander German Marquez. The 30-year-old Smith remains one of the best hitting catchers in baseball and has been proving it early on in 2025, slashing .367/.475/.551 with a 1.026 OPS, two home runs, 12 RBI, six runs scored and a stolen base in 49 total at-bats. He hit his second homer in Tuesday's 6-2 win. He's been especially hot the last three games, going 6-for-12 with a homer and five runs driven in. Although Barnes has hit .286 with a homer and three RBI in 14 career at-bats against Marquez, he'll have little DFS upside at the bottom of the batting order on Wednesday.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith turned in a big game in a 6-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday. Smith went 2-for-5 with a three-run homer to help down Colorado. The veteran catcher launched a three-run homer off Colorado starter Ryan Feltner in the third inning, a blast that gave the Dodgers a 4-0 lead. Smith is off to a fast start in 2025, hitting .367 with two homers, six runs, 12 RBI, and one stolen base across 49 at-bats. He remains one of the premier offensive catchers in all of fantasy.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Chicago Cubs. Fantasy managers don't need to worry as this appears to routine rest day for Smith. He has been struggling lately with three hits over his last five games. In his absence, Austin Barnes will cover behind the plate and bat ninth versus right-hander Ben Brown. Barnes is a viable backup catcher, but isn't someone worth rostering in fantasy formats with Smith healthy.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith is not in the starting nine when they continue a series against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday evening. Smith has started in each of the past two contests. During this two-game stretch, he has tallied three hits with two RBI. Instead, the Dodgers will have Austin Barnes behind the dish and bat in the nine-hole. Through 11 games this season, Smith has posted an impressive .400/.550/.567 slash line with two doubles and one home run. Fantasy managers should expect the 30-year-old to return to the starting nine on Wednesday when he faces Washington right-hander Jake Irvin. Barnes is not worth targeting in DFS this evening, facing right-handed pitcher Brad Lord.

After the Los Angeles Dodgers lost their first game of the season on Friday night, catcher Will Smith will get the day off on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park. Austin Barnes will do the catching for rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki and will hit ninth versus Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola. Smith, one of the best hitting catchers in the best lineup in baseball, has gotten off to a great start at the plate in 2025, going 9-for-22 with a home run, a double, five RBI, five runs scored, nine walks and seven strikeouts in his first nine games. When active, the two-time All-Star backstop should be in all starting fantasy lineups. Barnes is a light-hitting backstop that should be avoided for DFS purposes, especially against Nola, who he is hitless against in just two career at-bats.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith will retreat to the bench on Friday against the visiting Detroit Tigers at Dodger Stadium. Austin Barnes will do the catching for right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto and will bat ninth against Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty. Smith will get the day off on his 30th birthday. The veteran backstop has gotten off to a solid start to his 2025 campaign by going 3-for-7 with a double, RBI, a league-leading five walks and two runs scored in three games played. While he's not an elite fantasy catcher, Smith is as steady as they come and is in the best lineup in baseball. Expect him to return to action on Saturday against the Tigers. Barnes has very little offensive upside and should be avoided in DFS. He hasn't recorded a hit in just three career at-bats against Flaherty.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (knee) is back in the Cactus League lineup on Thursday against the Texas Rangers, doing the catching and batting sixth. Smith was hit by a pitch on his left knee in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Cincinnati Reds and was removed as a precaution and he was just dealing with a minor contusion. The 29-year-old was also held back at the start of spring training due to an ankle injury that he suffered late last season. That injury was nothing to worry about either, and it was a way for the Dodgers to rest their starting catcher early in camp. Unless something else pops up with Smith, he'll be fine for the season-opening two-game series in Tokyo, Japan, against the Chicago Cubs on March 18 and 19. Smith isn't an elite fantasy catching option, but he's ranked at No. 7 at the position at RotoBaller and resides in the best lineup in baseball.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (knee) was replaced in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Cincinnati Reds after getting hit by a pitch on his left knee, according to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya. It's unclear how severe Smith's left-knee injury is, but it's not the first injury he's dealt with in spring training after being delayed early in camp with ankle soreness. For now, we'll consider the 29-year-old backstop day-to-day until we get further word on his ailment. Most likely, the Dodgers pulled him out of an abundance of caution. An All-Star the last two seasons, Smith slashed .248/.327/.433 last year with 20 home runs, 75 RBI and 77 runs scored in 128 games. It was the third time in the last four years that Smith has reached the 20-homer mark to finish as a top-five fantasy catcher. While he's not an elite fantasy option at the position, he's been extremely reliable and has a safe floor in the best lineup in baseball.UPDATE: Manager Dave Roberts said Smith's exit was purely precautionary.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (ankle) has been dealing with a bone bruise on his left ankle since last June. Smith said this injury occurred when he rolled his ankle. Smith noted that the team is exploring ways to manage it throughout the year. He made his Cactus League debut on Friday and said that the injury did not affect his swing, but he felt "more" pain while running. Fantasy managers should monitor his status throughout camp in case he faces a setback. However, seeing him begin to participate in spring training games suggests the injury should not keep him sidelined too often in the regular season. However, he may be given more rest days. Last season, the 29-year-old posted a .248/.327/.433 slash line with 24 doubles and 20 home runs. He should be expected to be the everyday backstop and bat in the heart of a potent Dodger lineup.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (ankle) is set to make his Cactus League debut for the Dodgers on Friday against the Los Angeles Angels, according to the Los Angeles Times' Jack Harris. A minor ankle injury kept Smith sidelined early in the spring training slate, but he's ready to go now and will be ready to roll for Opening Day on March 18 against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, Japan, barring a setback once he gets into games. The 29-year-old backstop will also serve as the catcher in his first spring game on Friday. The former 32nd overall pick in 2016 out of the University of Louisville, Smith has been an All-Star each of the last two years and slashed .248/.327/.433 with a career-low .760 OPS, 20 home runs, 75 RBI and 77 runs scored in 128 regular-season games in 2024. While Smith's numbers definitely dipped, especially in the second half, he's been extremely consistent and is on the best team in baseball.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Monday that catcher Will Smith (ankle) could make his Cactus League debut by Thursday or Friday of this week. Smith is dealing with a minor ankle injury early in spring training, but it hasn't kept him from catching bullpens or taking batting practice. If the 29-year-old backstop can get through some running drills this week, he should be cleared to play in a game on Thursday or Friday. Although the Dodgers open the 2025 season in Tokyo, Japan, on March 18 against the Chicago Cubs, Smith should be ready in time, barring a setback when he starts playing in games. Smith's minor ankle injury in camp shouldn't be a reason for fantasy managers to fade him as a top-10 catcher in upcoming drafts. The former first-rounder has been an All-Star each of the last two years and hit 20 homers and drove in over 70 runs in 2024 for the third time in the last four seasons.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Friday that catcher Will Smith (ankle) could start playing in Cactus League games next week. Smith is dealing with an ankle injury that only affects him while running. It's nothing too serious, but the Dodgers are playing it safe with their 29-year-old starting catcher early in spring training, which is no surprise. Smith's final hurdle before being cleared to make his Cactus League debut next week will be completing a running program. Barring a setback, he should be ready to go on March 18 in Tokyo, Japan, to face the Chicago Cubs. Smith isn't an elite fantasy backstop, but he's still not a bad target in fantasy drafts once the big names like William Contreras and Adley Rutschman come off the board. He was a top-five fantasy catcher in 2024 and has been an All-Star the last two seasons.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that catcher Will Smith (ankle) probably won't make his Cactus League debut until next week. Smith is dealing with a minor ankle injury, but the Dodgers aren't going to push him early on in spring training. The 29-year-old has been able to catch bullpen sessions and take batting practice, but he's been held out of running drills at camp. As long as he doesn't have any setbacks once he resumes running and playing in games, Smith should be ready to go for Opening Day in Tokyo, Japan, on March 18 versus the Chicago Cubs. Smith was much better in the second half in 2024 for L.A. than in the second half, but he still finished with 20 home runs and 75 RBI in 128 regular-season games, good enough to be a top-five fantasy catcher. He is as consistent as they come in the best lineup in baseball, making him RotoBaller's No. 6 fantasy backstop.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (ankle) is "a little behind" in camp while dealing with an ankle issue, according to manager Dave Roberts. The skipper added that Smith has been running on an Alter-G treadmill. Although Smith's injury doesn't sound too serious, the 29-year-old backstop will need to be ready earlier than other players this year with the Dodgers opening up their regular season on March 18-19 in Tokyo, Japan, against the Chicago Cubs. There's still plenty of time for Smith to get ready for those games, though, so his minor ankle injury shouldn't affect his fantasy draft status for now as a top-10 catcher at RotoBaller. In a stacked Dodgers lineup that won the World Series last fall, Smith finished the 2024 regular season as a top-five catcher in fantasy and should have a very safe floor yet again once the top names come off the board in drafts.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith busted out of his postseason slump in a big way on Sunday, hitting a two-run homer to break open Game 6 of the NLCS. Smith got a hold of a Phil Maton fastball and sent it over the center field wall in the third inning to put the Dodgers up 6-1. The veteran backstop has had a tough go in these playoffs, going 5-for-35 (.143 AVG) with one homer and four RBI coming into this one. That will all be forgotten now, though, as Smith made his mark on the series-clinching game and will look to ride this momentum in a blockbuster World Series matchup against the New York Yankees.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (hand) was lifted from Game 5 of the NLCS after taking a foul ball off his hand. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports that the backstop was taken for X-rays, but the tests were negative. As a result, DFS players should expect the primary catcher to be behind the dish this evening as the Dodgers hope to clinch the series victory over the New York Mets. During the postseason, the 29-year-old has posted an underwhelming .143/.268/.229 line with one home run and four RBI. He will face a difficult matchup this evening against Mets southpaw Sean Manaea, who has held a strong 2.65 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP across 17 innings in October.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith collected his first hit of the 2024 postseason in Wednesday's 8-0 win over the Padres, a 432-foot two-run home run in the third inning that gave the Dodgers some breathing room as they went up 5-0 in the game. It would be his only hit of the contest, however, as the 29-year-old finished 1-for-5 and is now 1-for-13 through the first four games of the series. Smith will face Yu Darvish in Game 5, having gone 6-for-31 (.194) off of the veteran in his career, although that does include one home run.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith is out of the starting lineup for the Dodgers in their Saturday night tilt against the Colorado Rockies. Hunter Feduccia will be taking Smith's spot in his third start of the year, hitting ninth. Smith has gotten a few days off in September and, with the Dodgers having locked up a postseason spot while having a four game lead in the NL West, rest appears to be the priority for the 29-year-old. There is also a platoon advantage for the Dodgers here as Feduccia, a lefty, will face off against Rockies' right-hander Cal Quantrill. Smith has generally been a much better hitter against lefties in 2024. Fantasy managers that need help at the catcher position to finish the season may want to consider adding Feduccia, who is 3-8 with two walks in his short time in the majors. Otherwise expect Smith to be back in the lineup on Sunday against Rockies scheduled starter Antonio Senzatela.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith is out of the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Chicago Cubs. This looks like a rest game for Smith after he went hitless with two strikeouts during Monday's game. In his place, Austin Barnes will do the catching and bat ninth versus left-hander Shota Imanaga. Barnes is a fine backup catcher with a .262 batting average over 49 games this season. However, he doesn't offer much pop with the bat and has a tough matchup here, so fantasy managers should look elsewhere for a streaming option on Tuesday.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith will take a seat in Sunday's series finale as the Dodgers look to clinch a series victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Smith has started behind the plate in each of the past two games and will continue to follow a similar pattern where he takes a seat on the third day. As a result, veteran Austin Barnes will slot in behind the plate and bat in the nine-hole. Over his past two games, Smith has tallied three total hits, including his 17th long ball of the campaign. Fantasy managers should expect Smith to rejoin the starting nine on Monday as the Dodgers play the final game of the four-game set. Barnes is best to leave off your DFS lineup this afternoon as he sits with a modest .250 AVG, 10 RBI, and one home run this summer.