Donnie Kolakowski
@donniebuckets.bsky.social
Basketball Editor @optaanalystus.optajoe.com
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
Chicago is on the upswing. No city with four or more Big Four teams improved as much from 2024 to 2025.
December 22, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Chicago is on the upswing. No city with four or more Big Four teams improved as much from 2024 to 2025.
I try hard not to be the "nobody is paying attention to this player because of the team he is on" guy, but Keyonte George sure is doing some electric stuff.
December 16, 2025 at 10:00 PM
I try hard not to be the "nobody is paying attention to this player because of the team he is on" guy, but Keyonte George sure is doing some electric stuff.
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
Duke being in the ACC Championship has made this one the most compelling championship weekends ever. Kennesaw State is a playoff-relevant team on Friday night
It's conference championship weekend in college football, with plenty at stake in some of the title games.
To help you sort through it all, @alexkirshner.com ranks all nine championship games by how much CFP chaos they might cause.
theanalyst.com/articles/2025...
To help you sort through it all, @alexkirshner.com ranks all nine championship games by how much CFP chaos they might cause.
theanalyst.com/articles/2025...
Conference Championship Game Predictions, Ranked by Potential College Football Playoff Chaos | Opta Analyst
To help you sort through these games, we’ve ranked all nine FBS league championship games by how much playoff chaos they might cause. Conference championship games have had a rough few years. The expansion of the College Football Playoff has given some of these games more juice, as it’s put automatic bids on the line […]
theanalyst.com
December 3, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Duke being in the ACC Championship has made this one the most compelling championship weekends ever. Kennesaw State is a playoff-relevant team on Friday night
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
🚨Opta NFL Player Ratings are here 🚨
Want to know which offensive players in the NFL are the best pass blockers, run blockers or route runners? Or the defenders who are the best in coverage, rushing the passer or stopping the run? We've got you.
theanalyst.com/competition/...
Want to know which offensive players in the NFL are the best pass blockers, run blockers or route runners? Or the defenders who are the best in coverage, rushing the passer or stopping the run? We've got you.
theanalyst.com/competition/...
NFL Player-ratings | Opta Analyst
NFL coverage with player and team stats, fantasy rankings, projections, and advanced data powered by Opta Analyst.
theanalyst.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:54 PM
🚨Opta NFL Player Ratings are here 🚨
Want to know which offensive players in the NFL are the best pass blockers, run blockers or route runners? Or the defenders who are the best in coverage, rushing the passer or stopping the run? We've got you.
theanalyst.com/competition/...
Want to know which offensive players in the NFL are the best pass blockers, run blockers or route runners? Or the defenders who are the best in coverage, rushing the passer or stopping the run? We've got you.
theanalyst.com/competition/...
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
@donniebuckets.bsky.social highlighted Hunter and two other players who look much better to start the season.
theanalyst.com/articles/nba...
theanalyst.com/articles/nba...
NBA Stock Watch: The Players Who Have Improved the Most to Start the Season | Opta Analyst
Every year, we see NBA players put the league on notice to start a season. Here the players that have already shown improvement this year.
theanalyst.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:10 AM
@donniebuckets.bsky.social highlighted Hunter and two other players who look much better to start the season.
theanalyst.com/articles/nba...
theanalyst.com/articles/nba...
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
The Colts' pass coverage will be elite with Sauce Gardner, according to our projections.
November 4, 2025 at 6:28 PM
The Colts' pass coverage will be elite with Sauce Gardner, according to our projections.
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
Shohei Ohtani is the first player to reach base eight times in a game (regular season or postseason) since Melky Cabrera did so on August 10, 2014.
October 28, 2025 at 6:01 AM
Shohei Ohtani is the first player to reach base eight times in a game (regular season or postseason) since Melky Cabrera did so on August 10, 2014.
Tre Johnson and VJ Edgecombe wasting no time. Love to see it.
October 23, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Tre Johnson and VJ Edgecombe wasting no time. Love to see it.
That live win probability graph sure is something.
The Broncos win an absolute thriller at home against the Giants with a Wil Lutz field goal as time expired. Denver scored all 33 of their points in the fourth quarter, the most points they’ve ever had in a quarter in franchise history.
October 19, 2025 at 11:44 PM
That live win probability graph sure is something.
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
The Blue Jays have come out swinging in the postseason. Their +15 run differential is tied for the best ever through two postseason games.
October 5, 2025 at 11:22 PM
The Blue Jays have come out swinging in the postseason. Their +15 run differential is tied for the best ever through two postseason games.
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
Aaron Judge led the American League in fWAR for the second straight year. Shohei Ohtani led the National League in fWAR for the second straight year. Prior to this season, no player had led either league in fWAR in consecutive seasons since Kris Bryant in 2016 and 2017.
September 29, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Aaron Judge led the American League in fWAR for the second straight year. Shohei Ohtani led the National League in fWAR for the second straight year. Prior to this season, no player had led either league in fWAR in consecutive seasons since Kris Bryant in 2016 and 2017.
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
Week 4 waiver wire!
Several key players suffered injuries in Week 3, so the waiver wire will be more competitive than ever this week. Here are the players you should target.
theanalyst.com/articles/waiv...
Several key players suffered injuries in Week 3, so the waiver wire will be more competitive than ever this week. Here are the players you should target.
theanalyst.com/articles/waiv...
Top Fantasy Football Week 4 Waiver Wire Pickups | Opta Analyst
The injury bug hit some key players in Week 3. Here's who fantasy football managers should target on the waiver wire to replace their stars.
theanalyst.com
September 23, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Week 4 waiver wire!
Several key players suffered injuries in Week 3, so the waiver wire will be more competitive than ever this week. Here are the players you should target.
theanalyst.com/articles/waiv...
Several key players suffered injuries in Week 3, so the waiver wire will be more competitive than ever this week. Here are the players you should target.
theanalyst.com/articles/waiv...
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
We might've witnessed the Game of the Year in Week 1. Josh Allen and the Bills came back to stun the Ravens in a Sunday Night Football thriller.
September 8, 2025 at 4:04 AM
We might've witnessed the Game of the Year in Week 1. Josh Allen and the Bills came back to stun the Ravens in a Sunday Night Football thriller.
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
Sorting out the top tier of fantasy wide receivers can be tricky this year. @donniebuckets.bsky.social breaks down which wideouts are worth selecting early and which sleepers have the most value late.
theanalyst.com/articles/fant...
theanalyst.com/articles/fant...
Fantasy Football WR Rankings 2025: Everything to Know About the Stars and Sleepers at Wide Receiver | Opta Analyst
Last season, an unusually high number of elite wide receivers disappointed in fantasy football. Could that provide an opportunity in 2025?
theanalyst.com
August 28, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Sorting out the top tier of fantasy wide receivers can be tricky this year. @donniebuckets.bsky.social breaks down which wideouts are worth selecting early and which sleepers have the most value late.
theanalyst.com/articles/fant...
theanalyst.com/articles/fant...
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
Most elite running backs returned value in 2024. Will that be the case again? @donniebuckets.bsky.social breaks down the position.
theanalyst.com/articles/fant...
theanalyst.com/articles/fant...
Fantasy Football RB Rankings 2025: Everything to Know About the Stars and Sleepers in the Backfield | Opta Analyst
Most elite running backs were great values in fantasy football in 2024. Which ones will retain that value in 2025?
theanalyst.com
August 27, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Most elite running backs returned value in 2024. Will that be the case again? @donniebuckets.bsky.social breaks down the position.
theanalyst.com/articles/fant...
theanalyst.com/articles/fant...
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
Fantasy football leagues are often won in the late rounds of drafts. So which sleepers could help you take home the trophy this year? @donniebuckets.bsky.social explores.
theanalyst.com/articles/fant...
theanalyst.com/articles/fant...
Fantasy Football Sleepers: The Best Bargains to Know for Your Draft | Opta Analyst
Fantasy football is all about value, so selecting the right sleepers is one of the most crucial parts of a draft.
theanalyst.com
August 22, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Fantasy football leagues are often won in the late rounds of drafts. So which sleepers could help you take home the trophy this year? @donniebuckets.bsky.social explores.
theanalyst.com/articles/fant...
theanalyst.com/articles/fant...
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
Cade Horton finally allowed his first run since the All-Star Break. He had one of the longest scoreless streaks for a rookie starter since 1974.
August 14, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Cade Horton finally allowed his first run since the All-Star Break. He had one of the longest scoreless streaks for a rookie starter since 1974.
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
Two of the hottest pitches in baseball are on the bump in Milwaukee tonight as the Cubs and Brewers battle for first place. Jacob Misiorowski debuted on June 12 and has taken the league by storm, while Matthew Boyd has the best ERA in MLB since that date.
July 28, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Two of the hottest pitches in baseball are on the bump in Milwaukee tonight as the Cubs and Brewers battle for first place. Jacob Misiorowski debuted on June 12 and has taken the league by storm, while Matthew Boyd has the best ERA in MLB since that date.
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
Every fan wants their team to make a big splash at the deadline. But it's not always the big names that have the biggest impact. Here are four players who could be huge additions to contenders.
theanalyst.com/articles/mlb-...
theanalyst.com/articles/mlb-...
MLB Trade Deadline: Four Under-the-Radar Players Whom Contenders Could Target | Opta Analyst
The biggest names dealt at the MLB trade deadline don't always have the most impact. Here are four players contenders could target.
theanalyst.com
July 24, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Every fan wants their team to make a big splash at the deadline. But it's not always the big names that have the biggest impact. Here are four players who could be huge additions to contenders.
theanalyst.com/articles/mlb-...
theanalyst.com/articles/mlb-...
The combined stats of Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga and Colin Rea since June 25:
14 starts, 13-1 record, 87 IP, 1.34 ERA, 0.74 WHIP
They have the most wins, lowest ERA and lowest WHIP of any starting trio (min. 20 IP each) in MLB during that span.
14 starts, 13-1 record, 87 IP, 1.34 ERA, 0.74 WHIP
They have the most wins, lowest ERA and lowest WHIP of any starting trio (min. 20 IP each) in MLB during that span.
July 23, 2025 at 4:12 AM
The combined stats of Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga and Colin Rea since June 25:
14 starts, 13-1 record, 87 IP, 1.34 ERA, 0.74 WHIP
They have the most wins, lowest ERA and lowest WHIP of any starting trio (min. 20 IP each) in MLB during that span.
14 starts, 13-1 record, 87 IP, 1.34 ERA, 0.74 WHIP
They have the most wins, lowest ERA and lowest WHIP of any starting trio (min. 20 IP each) in MLB during that span.
Judge, Skenes, Witt, Raleigh is quite the starting four for Team USA.
Cal Raleigh just committed to play for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. We had him as the obvious choice at catcher when selecting the team's optimal roster.
theanalyst.com/articles/team...
theanalyst.com/articles/team...
Building the Perfect Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic | Opta Analyst
Team USA at the 2026 World Baseball Classic will likely have more MLB stars than ever before. We've come up with the best roster possible.
theanalyst.com
July 14, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Judge, Skenes, Witt, Raleigh is quite the starting four for Team USA.
The Valkyries got an impressive win against the Fever today and they've been one of the most impressive surprises in recent North American sports history.
The Valkyries spoiled Caitlin Clark’s return by beating the Fever 80-61. Here’s how they’ve proven everybody wrong with a great start to the season.
theanalyst.com/articles/gold...
theanalyst.com/articles/gold...
WNBA Surprise: Why Was Everyone Wrong About the Golden State Valkyries? | Opta Analyst
The Golden State Valkyries were expected to be the worst team in the WNBA by almost everyone. But apparently, they didn’t get the script.
theanalyst.com
July 9, 2025 at 6:09 PM
The Valkyries got an impressive win against the Fever today and they've been one of the most impressive surprises in recent North American sports history.
Not a bad day at the office.
Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch are the first pair of teammates to each have 4+ hits and 2+ home runs in the same game since Lucas Duda and Yoenis Cespedes did so for the Mets on April 11, 2017.
July 4, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Not a bad day at the office.
Reposted by Donnie Kolakowski
Bobby Witt Jr. joined Aaron Judge and Paul Skenes on Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. It's a great start, but here's who could join them to make the optimal Team USA roster.
theanalyst.com/articles/buil...
theanalyst.com/articles/buil...
Building the Perfect Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic | Opta Analyst
Team USA at the 2026 World Baseball Classic will likely have more MLB stars than ever before. We've come up with the best roster possible.
theanalyst.com
June 26, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Bobby Witt Jr. joined Aaron Judge and Paul Skenes on Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. It's a great start, but here's who could join them to make the optimal Team USA roster.
theanalyst.com/articles/buil...
theanalyst.com/articles/buil...