Fantasy Football News

It was a pleasant surprise to see Baltimore Ravens defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike (neck) avoid the Physically Unable to Perform list to start training camp after suffering a scary neck injury last year that limited him to only two games, but The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec writes that Madubuike "remains very limited" in what he's doing in practices this summer. He mostly takes part in the team stretch, does light individual work with a coach or athletic trainer, and then heads to another field for conditioning. Madubuike has not done anything that involves significant contact, including hitting the blocking sled. Head coach Jesse Minter said after Monday's workout that the 28-year-old two-time Pro Bowler could start working into contact drills within the "next couple of weeks." With that timetable, Madubuike's readiness for the start of the 2026 regular season could be firmly in question since he has not taken or delivered any hits since last September. The former third-rounder had 19.5 sacks from 2023 to 2024 with Baltimore and could be a difference-maker for the Ravens' defense in 2026, but it looks like he will continue to be slowly eased back in.

The New York Giants released wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on Tuesday to clear a roster spot for running back Najee Harris. Smith-Schuster signed with New York on June 2, but his stay lasted less than three months. He had been dealing with knee swelling during camp, and head coach John Harbaugh said last week that the Giants knew they would have to manage the veteran's knee. Smith-Schuster played all 17 games for Kansas City in 2025, starting 12 and finishing with 33 catches for 345 yards and one touchdown. New York had a crowded receiver competition all summer, with Odell Beckham Jr., Braxton Berrios and rookie Malachi Fields among the players fighting for work. Smith-Schuster did make some plays in camp, but his time with the Giants is over before cutdown day. He now hits the market again with a few weeks left before the regular season and will look for another opportunity elsewhere.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that he expects "a number of starters" to play in the preseason game on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Chargers and said there is a "good chance" that will include quarterback Brock Purdy, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. If Purdy suits up to play on Thursday night, he likely will not play more than a couple of offensive series. The 26-year-old former seventh-rounder in 2022 from Iowa State is an obvious bounce-back candidate heading into his fifth NFL season after he appeared in just nine games for the Niners last year due to a turf-toe injury. Still, there are question marks with Purdy's receiving corps due to durability concerns, with veterans Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel Sr., and Christian Kirk, and Ricky Pearsall (knee) is already out for the season. Tight end George Kittle is returning from an Achilles tear from the postseason. At the very least, Purdy has running back Christian McCaffrey to dump the ball off to, and he should be considered a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 in fantasy football drafts in Shanahan's offense.

San Francisco 49ers running back Kaelon Black (adductor) returned to practice Tuesday for the first time since the opening week of training camp. The rookie had been sidelined since hurting his adductor during the Aug. 1 practice, wiping out more than two weeks of valuable work. Black was getting a decent amount of run before the injury, including a heavy share of the carries during San Francisco's first padded session. The 49ers used the 90th overall pick on him in April after he rushed for 1,040 yards and 10 touchdowns on 186 carries at Indiana last season. At 5-foot-9 and 208 pounds, he gives San Francisco another option behind Christian McCaffrey as the team sorts through a banged-up backfield. Black has ground to make up after the long layoff, but getting back into practice now gives him time to push for a role before the regular season.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans (foot/ankle) had his left foot and ankle wrapped and iced during Tuesday's joint practice with the Los Angeles Chargers. Evans appeared to be finished for the day after receiving treatment on the sideline, but head coach Kyle Shanahan later said the veteran was only experiencing some tightness and that he does not believe the issue is serious. That's encouraging after Evans only recently returned from a quadriceps strain suffered Aug. 1. He didn't get back into 11-on-11 work until Saturday, making it a quick turnaround between injury concerns. Evans signed a three-year deal with San Francisco in March after spending his first 12 seasons with Tampa Bay. He was limited to eight games last year, catching 30 passes for 368 yards and three touchdowns. Tuesday's early exit is still worth noting, but Shanahan's update takes some of the concern out of the situation.

Los Angeles Chargers center Tyler Biadasz (leg) was carted off during Tuesday's joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers after going down in 11-on-11 drills. 49ers defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez fell on Biadasz's left knee, and the veteran center was unable to put weight on the leg before leaving on the cart. Biadasz signed a multi-year deal with Los Angeles in March and has been working as the Chargers' starting center, with rookie second-round pick Jake Slaughter listed behind him on the latest unofficial depth chart. Slaughter has already taken preseason snaps at center, so he would be the obvious in-house option if Biadasz misses time. The way he left the field was concerning, especially for an offensive line that added him to stabilize the middle. How much time Biadasz might miss now becomes the question for Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston appeared to suffer a lower-body injury during Tuesday's joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers. Johnston came up limping after trying to make a leaping catch near the sideline, and trainers immediately began working on him. Johnston had already missed some practice time recently, with head coach Jim Harbaugh saying last week that he was dealing with something minor, and he did not practice Monday. It's unclear if Tuesday's issue is related. Johnston is coming off his best NFL season, catching 51 passes for 735 yards and eight touchdowns in 14 games. He has now led the Chargers with eight receiving touchdowns in back-to-back seasons, and Los Angeles picked up his fifth-year option in April. For now, this is a developing injury situation. Whether Johnston was able to return Tuesday or needs further testing will be the next important update.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (foot/toe) has been diagnosed with a sprained foot/toe from Saturday's preseason opener against Carolina and is expected to miss some practice time. Coleman was in a walking boot on his right foot Tuesday, three days after catching a nine-yard touchdown from Josh Allen in Buffalo's 29-14 win. Head coach Joe Brady didn't sound overly concerned after the game, saying he believed Coleman would be fine while the team waited on the medical evaluation. Now there is a diagnosis, but still no return date. Coleman is heading into an important third season after catching 38 passes for 404 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games last year. He had put together a strong spring and summer before getting hurt. The walking boot makes the injury worth watching, but for now the only firm part is that Coleman will lose some practice time. How much remains unclear.

Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins was back in full pads Tuesday as he continues working through the soft-tissue issue that cut short his Aug. 10 practice. Dobbins was already back doing individual drills the next day and practiced again Wednesday, then returned Monday during Denver's non-padded session. So this hasn't turned into a long absence. He ran for 772 yards and four touchdowns on 153 carries in 10 games last season before a foot injury sent him to injured reserve after Week 10. Denver re-signed him to a two-year deal in March, and Dobbins is still listed first on the Broncos' initial unofficial depth chart ahead of RJ Harvey. Rookie Jonah Coleman is in the mix, too, after a good start to camp. Tuesday's full-pads appearance is another good sign for Dobbins, but there still hasn't been confirmation that he's back to a completely normal workload. That's the next thing to watch.

The Atlanta Falcons signed veteran pass rusher Za'Darius Smith on Tuesday, bringing the three-time Pro Bowler out of retirement less than a year after he stepped away from the NFL. Smith retired on Oct. 13, 2025 after playing five games for Philadelphia, where he recorded 1.5 sacks. He was much more productive the year before, finishing 2024 with nine sacks while splitting time between Cleveland and Detroit. Atlanta has an immediate need on the edge. Jalon Walker is out for the season with a torn ACL, while James Pearce Jr. will miss the first eight games because of a league suspension. Smith also has some familiarity with head coach Kevin Stefanski from their time together in Cleveland. He turns 34 in September and has not played since last October, so his early workload is still something to watch. Even so, Smith brings 70.5 career sacks to a Falcons front that suddenly needed another proven option.

Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (knee) was back at practice Monday, but head coach Mike LaFleur said Tuesday that Benson is not yet ready for 11-on-11 drills. The third-year back has been dealing with another flare-up in the surgically repaired left knee that limited him to four games last season. He ran well when he was out there, finishing 2025 with 160 yards on 29 carries and another 64 yards on 13 catches. The problem now is time. Arizona has to cut its roster to 53 players on Aug. 30, and Benson is currently listed fourth on the depth chart behind Tyler Allgeier, Jeremiyah Love and James Conner. Love is dealing with an ankle injury and Conner still hasn't done 11-on-11 work either, so there is an opening if Benson can get healthy enough to take advantage of it. For now, though, Monday's return was only a first step. He still has to show the Cardinals he can handle full team work before cutdown day.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chris Bell (knee) will remain in a red non-contact jersey Tuesday, but head coach Jeff Hafley said the rookie is set to do a little more after making his practice debut Monday. Bell was activated from the non-football injury list Monday as he works back from the torn ACL he suffered at Louisville on Nov. 22. He only took part in individual drills in his first session back. The next step is team work while still wearing red, though Hafley said he doesn't expect Bell to practice against the Giants or play in Saturday's preseason game. Miami is taking this one slowly. Bell, the 94th overall pick in April, caught 72 passes for 917 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games last season before the injury ended his year. There's still no clear date for full contact. Bell getting back onto the field matters, but he's not close enough yet for fantasy managers to count on an immediate role.

Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins (leg) left Tuesday's joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders after going down during a red-zone period. Trainers checked on him for several seconds before Higgins got back up and left the field under his own power. He did not return. C.J. Stroud offered some encouragement afterward, saying he thinks Higgins will be fine, but Houston has not announced a diagnosis or timetable. Higgins has been one of the standouts of Texans camp after catching 41 passes for 525 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie. He started 10 games last season and has been pushing for a bigger role in Year 2. That makes the injury worth watching even if the early signs aren't especially alarming. Stroud's reaction helps, and so does Higgins getting off the field on his own. The next update from Houston will carry more weight than either, especially if Higgins has to miss practice time.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (leg) was in full pads Tuesday, another step forward after returning to practice Monday. Waddle had been out since leaving an Aug. 5 practice with a muscle strain in his left leg. Head coach Sean Payton initially expected him back within four or five days, but Denver gave him more time. He was nearly a full participant Monday and even caught a pass from Bo Nix during a red-zone period. Now the pads are back on. Waddle came over from Miami in a March trade after posting 64 catches for 910 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games last season. Denver gave up first-, third- and fourth-round picks in that deal while also getting a fourth-rounder back with Waddle. The Broncos have plenty invested in him, and he is expected to be a major part of the passing game alongside Courtland Sutton. After almost two weeks of dealing with the strain, Tuesday's step is a good sign.

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said that the team's starters will play a series on Thursday in the preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers, including quarterback Justin Herbert, according to Steve Wyche of the NFL Network. It will be important for Herbert in terms of game operation and to get game reps with new center Tyler Biadasz. It will be the first preseason action this year for the 28-year-old after he sat out the opener last week against the Houston Texans. New offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel has given the 28-year-old signal-caller plenty of praise for picking up his offense extremely quickly during training camp. McDaniel should put Herbert in a better position to succeed in 2026 in his sixth year in the league, and with his dual-threat abilities at the position, Herbert will be an intriguing midrange QB1 for fantasy managers after the big names come off the board. Although the Chargers' receiving corps does not strike fear in opposing defenses, the Chargers' offense should be more explosive with McDaniel running the show.

The Kansas City Chiefs are saying that wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (hamstring) suffered a strained hamstring in Tuesday's training camp practice, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN. Thornton had to be carted to the locker room, so he is probably looking at missing some time going forward, although it's unclear if his hamstring strain is serious enough to potentially keep him out of the Week 1 Monday night showdown against the division-rival Denver Broncos. The 26-year-old almost certainly will not be active this Saturday for the preseason contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If Thornton misses extensive time, it will give rookie Cyrus Allen and Jalen Royals more of an opportunity to earn WR3 duties in KC behind starters Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. Thornton, a former second-rounder by the New England Patriots from Baylor, caught 19 of 37 targets for a career-high 438 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games in his first year with the Chiefs in 2025. If fully healthy, he mostly profiles as an unpredictable boom/bust downfield threat for the Chiefs' offense. It is hard to justify drafting Thornton in 12-team fantasy leagues if both Rice and Worthy are fully healthy.

The New York Giants are signing free-agent running back Najee Harris (Achilles) to an undisclosed one-year deal on Tuesday, according to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. The veteran Harris will be added to an already crowded Giants' RB room that includes Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Devin Singletary. The 28-year-old former first-rounder in 2021 by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the University of Alabama had four straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons to begin his career in the Steel City before playing in just three games in 2025 with the Los Angeles Chargers due to a torn Achilles tendon. Harris appears to be fully recovered from his injury after impressing the Giants during his visit with the team on Monday, but he will have a steep hill to climb in 2026 for a fantasy-relevant role in the Big Apple. For now, Harris should remain off the fantasy football radar in standard-sized leagues. In his three games with the Bolts last year, Harris had 15 carries for 61 yards on the ground while catching all three of his targets for 25 yards.

Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza got extensive reps with the first-team offense on Tuesday during the team's joint practice with the Houston Texans, according to Sam Warren of The Athletic. Veteran Kirk Cousins would go first, but Mendoza subbed in for a few team periods. The first overall pick from Indiana is gaining steam to potentially steal the starting gig from Cousins to begin the 2026 regular season, and he looked like a future star in his NFL debut in last Thursday's preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals, going 10-for-16 passing for 97 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. He also had six yards rushing. Cousins will most likely open the year as the Raiders' starter under center, but if Mendoza continues to impress, he will get his shot sooner rather than later. Fantasy managers in single-year leagues must still temper expectations, as Mendoza could face a steep learning curve with a weak collection of receivers if he is making starts in 2026.

Arizona Cardinals rookie first-round running back Jeremiyah Love (ankle) does not need surgery on his high-ankle sprain, head coach Mike LaFleur told Tyler Drake of Arizona Sports. Love, the third overall pick in April from Notre Dame, suffered a high-ankle sprain in Thursday's preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders and is unlikely to play in the team's final two preseason contests. The good news is that the 21-year-old do-it-all back will not need surgery, and the Cardinals are hopeful that he will be ready to make his regular-season NFL debut in Week 1 versus the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 13. Arizona's RB room is pretty banged up right now with Love, James Conner (foot), and Trey Benson (knee) all nursing injuries, leaving more work for Tyler Allgeier to close out training camp and the preseason. Love easily has the most short- and long-term upside of all the Cardinals' RBs, but reports have suggested that he might be more of a featured back in his rookie season instead of an every-down one. Still, he is going to come off the board in the early rounds of most fantasy drafts as at least a high-end RB2 in what is expected to be a run-heavy offense in 2026 under LaFleur.

Andrew Moore of Sports Illustrated reports that the Indianapolis Colts are "still happy" with wide receiver Alec Pierce's (ankle) progress from offseason ankle surgery and "expect him to be ready for Week 1." The team's signing of veteran wideout Keenan Allen on Monday night "has nothing to do" with Pierce's recovery. Pierce had surgery on his left ankle and remains on the Physically Unable to Perform list at training camp. The 26-year-old is not expected to return during camp, yet the Colts think he will still be recovered in time to take the field in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 13. Without Pierce in the fold, Josh Downs has stepped up as the Colts' top wideout, with tight end Tyler Warren also seeing plenty of run as a top target for quarterback Daniel Jones. Pierce has led the NFL in yards per catch in each of the last two seasons and broke out in 2025 with a 47-1,003-6 line in 15 games played, but fantasy managers should be concerned about his chances of an encore after missing valuable time this offseason, especially now that Allen is in the mix. He has fallen to No. 50 in RotoBaller's WR rankings for the 2026 campaign.